Volume 1, Issue 2, July - December, 2024

Encroachment assessment along Kaduna River in Kaduna Metropolis Nigeria

Lungfa Collins Wuyep¹, Hamza Sadaqat², Salamatu Laraba Abdullahi¹, Egure Micheal³, Wazhi Ponnak Ezekiel¹, Ramatu Aliyu Bello¹, David Okalla¹, Idris Ismaila Salman¹, Muhammad Danlami Bashir⁴, Solomon Ishaku Shallom⁵

¹NASRDA’s Center for Geodesy and Geodynamics Environmental Geodesy division Toro, Bauchi State, Nigeria
²Institute of Geoinformation and Earth Observation, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
³Ministry of physical Planning, Housing, Urban and regional Development, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria
⁴NASRDA’s Center for Geodesy and Geodynamics, Space Geodesy and Systems, Toro, Bauchi State, Nigeria
⁵Nasarawa State Ministry of Education, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study examines the ecological consequences of hydrological alterations imposed on the Kaduna River in Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria. The research analyzes changes in land cover, river course shape, and urban sprawl using remote sensing, GIS analysis of satellite images, and field surveys. GIS data used to assess encroachment across the region has been visualized using ArcGIS, Google Earth Pro, and ERDAS Imagine software, which are instrumental in both historical and spatial analyses of patterns from 2000 to 2022. The results reveal significant incursions over several river reaches, characterized by considerable urban land, which have major implications for the floodplains. The study shows increased flood risk, habitat fragmentation, and biodiversity loss as consequences of human activities. The results indicate a pattern of increasing encroachment, particularly in the Lower Left Reach Bank Community, where the highest percentage is 47%. The research underscores the need for sustainable urban planning, effective land-use regulations, and community engagement to mitigate the adverse impacts of encroachment. The study’s insights are crucial for informing future urban development strategies and preserving the ecological integrity of the Kaduna River and its surroundings.

Keywords: River encroachment, Kaduna River, Urban development, Remote sensing, GIS analysis, Ecological impact, Sustainable urban planning

Discovery Nature, 2024, 1(2), e6dn1027

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v1i2.e6dn1027

Published: 07 September 2024