Exploring Land use/land cover change and Flooding Risks using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques
This study was conducted to investigate the spatiotemporal changes of land use/land cover (LULC) along the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over a 20-year period using an integration of remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems techniques. The impact of land use change on flooding potential was also investigated through hydrologic model simulations. Landsat images of the years 1996, 2006 and 2016 were processed and analyzed. Change detection was carried out to assess changes in the built-up areas. Furthermore, the impact of urbanization on flooding was assessed using a hydrologic model in two major watersheds of Fujairah Emirate. It was observed that for the period 1996–2006 the vegetation and the built-up areas had increased at a rate of 11.23% and 24.56%, respectively. For the period 2006–2016, this expansion more than doubled in terms of the vegetation class (27.51%) and slightly increased for the built-up class (28.98%). The change detection analysis revealed that urbanization has mostly occurred along the coastal boundary. Hydrologic model simulations quantified the role of urbanization in increasing the flooding potential. The increase depends on watershed characteristics and the rate of change in urbanization and the magnitude of the rainfall event.
Speakers
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Dr. Khalid HusseinDepartment of Geography and Urban Sustainability, College of Humanities and Social Studies (CHSS), UAEUDr. Khalid Hussein joined the Department of Geography and Urban Sustainability, College of Humanities and Social Studies (CHSS), UAEU in 2015. Prior to that Khalid taught and conducted research at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Khalid competed his graduate and postgraduate studies at the University of Georgia Augusta, Goettingen, Germany, and the University of Colorado, Boulder, USA.
Khalid research interests are in the use of geographic information systems (GIS) and satellite and airborne remote sensing techniques, integrated with in situ observations and modeling, to understand how and why the Earth’s cover is changing, and what those changes mean for life on Earth. Khalid research focuses on three areas. The first is the use of remote sensing techniques integrated with GIS, and in situ data to understand how and why land cover and land use are changing; and what those changes mean for sustainability of natural resources. The second research area focuses on the understanding of the effects of climate change on the Earth’s surfaces using remotely sensed data and field measurements. Finally, he is also interested on the application of thermal remote sensing in identifying and delineating areas of geothermal activities as a potential source of energy. -
Dr. Khaula AlkaabiChief Innovation Officer, and an Associate Professor at the Geography and Urban Sustainability Department at UAEUDr. Khaula Alkaabi is the Chief Innovation Officer, and an Associate Professor at the Geography and Urban Sustainability Department at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU). She holds a BA degree (Hons) in Geography from UAEU, a MA (Hons) and a PhD (Hons) in Geography from UNCG, USA. Her research interests include air transportation, land use planning, spatial analysis, GIS applications, unmanned aircraft applications, tourism, urban development, economic geography, entrepreneurship and innovation, and the surface of Mars. She has published several academic articles in various international academic journals, as well as reviewed several government reports and academic international journal publications.