Mapping of land use/cover in developing a catchment management for Perlis, Malaysia
Basharudin Abdul Hadi
University Teknologi MARA Perlis
Malaysia
Email: basha_uitma@yahoo.co.uk
Kamaruzaman Hj. Wan Yusof
University Teknologi MARA Perlis
Malaysia
Che Senu Salleh
University Teknologi MARA Perlis
Malaysia
ABSTRACT
The objective of catchment management is to maximise the net socio-economic benefit of land use activities in the catchment area. In Malaysia, catchment management problems are associated with river pollution from untreated industrial wastes in urban areas (Low, 1993), with water shortages due to the uneven distribution of rainfall throughout the country and with high erosion rates due to deforestation for agricultural and urban expansion (JICA, 1982). The objective of this project research is to produce a digital map of land use/cover for Perlis using the spatial analysis technique of remote sensing and the geographical information system (GIS).
1.0 Introduction
The objective of catchment management is to maximise the net socio-economic benefit of land use activities in the catchment area. In Malaysia, catchment management problems are associated with river pollution from untreated industrial wastes in urban areas (Low, 1993), with water shortages due to the uneven distribution of rainfall throughout the country and with high erosion rates due to deforestation for agricultural and urban expansion (JICA, 1982). The objective of this project research is to produce a digital map of land use/cover for Perlis using the spatial analysis technique of remote sensing and the geographical information system (GIS).
2.0 Use of Computer Technology
In the past, conventional data collection was done mainly by ground surveys. This method has proved to be accurate but it has several drawbacks. The method is very time-consuming and costly. It is also subject to site accessibility and reliability depends very much on human capabilities. With the advance of computer technology, a revolution in gathering and analysing large data sets has been achieved. This new methodological approach including remote sensing and GIS has been used to address the problem of catchment-based management systems such as water availability. Databases have been collected in a digital format and updated frequently using remote sensing. These data can then be stored in a GIS, which can be used to compile, combine and analyse the data in order to simulate and evaluate management strategies dealing with various problems within the catchment. Based on this information, decision makers could, for example, decide on targeting their limited financial resources to those areas, which contribute most to the problem, or to identify those areas where development can proceed with appropriate control measures (Baban, 1998).
2.0 The Study Area
Perlis is situated in the northern Peninsular Malaysia, with neighbouring borders of Thailand in the north and Kedah in the south. It has an area of 795 sq. km. It has a tropical monsoon with "winter wind" (northerly wind from Siamese Bay), with temperatures between 21-23 degrees Celcius having a dry season of January to April and rainy season of May to December.