LAND USE CHANGES AND WATER (IN)SECURITY

FACUNDO ROJAS; FACUNDO MARTÍN; CECILIA RUBIO; MARTÍN RIZZO; NUR AKIL; MARÍA MARTA BERNABEU

Guaymas

Congreso; Desafíos en la seguridad hídrica y resiliencia ante el cambio global en zonas áridas del contintente americano; 2018

Udall Center (Universidad de Arizona)-COLSON (Colegio de Sonora)

Due to advancement in the area of Remote Sensing and GIS spatial analysis techniques, it has become possibleto evaluate before and after scenarios of a landscape.In Mendoza, although numerous studies have been carried out on LULCC (Land Use/Land Cover), these arebased on very different theoretical and methodological as assumptions, making comparison and monitoringdifficult. Also, these proposals generally require software and paid satellite imagery, making it difficult toreplicate.The present study aims at detecting and analyze the Land-Use/ Land-Cover change and drivers in Mendoza andTunuyán river basins between 1986 and 2018 using multispectral satellite imagery; to develop an opensource/public tool for land use change monitoring; to correlate LULCC dynamic and water (in)security issuesand to enhance science-policy dialogues in Planning. We have a particular interest in the advance or retractionof the agricultural frontier in historical terms.Some outstanding methodological considerations were adapting the legend to Land Cover Classification System(FAO) and National Land Cover Database (USGS) to the regional reality. Also compare our results withexisting Land Use Classification from other sources.The preliminary results make a difference in the total cropland between 1986 and 2018, which was around12,000 ha. This growth has been concentrated in the western foothills, while in the east there is a contractionand abandonment of crops. In addition to analyzing all the remaining years, it is planned to add the Googleengine software and other types of satellite images to the study.