Boakye E., Odai S.N., Adjei K.A., Annor F.O.
Department of Civil Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kumasi, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana
Boakye, E., Department of Civil Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kumasi, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana; Odai, S.N., Department of Civil Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kumasi, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana; Adjei, K.A., Department of Civil Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kumasi, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana; Annor, F.O., Department of Civil Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kumasi, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana
This paper describes assessment of the land use and land cover changes in the Barekese catchment of Ghana. The Barekese catchment forms part of the Offin River catchment which flows through the catchment before eventually feeding into the Barekese reservoir. Because of the economic importance of the reservoir, the Barekese catchment has been earmarked and reserved for the protection and development of the water resource. However increasing siltation in the reservoir has been attributed to land use and land cover changes in the catchment due to encroachment. LandSat TM images of 1973, 1986 and 2000 were analyzed using Erdas Imagine software and ArcGIS. A total of five broad land use and land cover classes were identified and mapped for 1973, 1986 and 2000. These were forest (close), open forest, grasslands, water bodies and open areas/towns. The results of the analysis showed that between 1973 and 2000, forest decreased by about 43%, open forest decreased by about 32%, while grassland and open areas/towns increased by about 700% and 1000%, respectively. The study identified population growth, timber logging and lack of proper education as causes of the changes in land use and land cover in the catchment area. © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2008.