Spatial analysis of land cover configuration for sustainable water quality management in the Silang-Santa Rosa River basin, Laguna, Philippines

Issue Date

2016

Abstract

How land use/cover changes, which result from and spatially reflect anthropogenic activities, affects water quality has been discussed directly or indirectly since the 1970s. Proper land cover configuration and water management can improve water quality in rivers and lakes and have been a high priority concern for land use planners, local residents, and land developers. However, the main priority of developing countries is, in many cases, economic development, which is often associated with disordered land cover configuration. Recently, rapid urbanization and drastic changes in land cover have occurred in the Silang-Santa Rosa River basin, which is located south of Metro Manila, Philippines, where disordered land cover exists and residents are facing water quality deterioration. This river basin has experienced encroachment of urban land uses, which affects the residents' livelihood as well as water quality in the river. The objective of this study was to determine feasible solutions for land use planners, residents, and developers, taking urban development trends, residents' livelihood, and land cover configuration in the Silang-Santa Rosa River basin into consideration. This study clarified the current land cover situation and characteristics of the changes in such spatially by using local indicators of spatial autocorrelation. In addition, the current situation was confirmed spatially through a field survey to help understand the estimated effects of land cover changes on water quality. In conclusion, 1) fields of pineapple have increased extensively in number in the upstream sites of the river basin and have affected water quality; 2) the "Built-up" area has not increased in the downstream sites of the basin, as no significant spatial clusters were detected; and 3) new developments of residential areas called "gated communities" were observed distinctly in one characteristic cluster during the field survey, which carries a high risk of affecting water quality in the future.

Source or Periodical Title

37th Asian Conference on Remote Sensing, ACRS 2016

Page

1428-1435

Document Type

Conference Paper

Physical Description

maps, illustrations, tables

Language

English

Subject

Land cover change, Local indicators of spatial autocorrelation, Perennial crop, Urbanization

Digital Copy

yes

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS