Impacts of land use/land cover detection on climate variability of Gumara Watershed, Ethiopia

Abstract

Land use/land cover (LU/LC) detection on climate variability has been conducted using satellite image and weather data in the study area. LU/LC analysis was done using supervised classification and the categories used were built-up area, forest, grassland, agriculture and waterbody. From the analysis, built-up area is shown as increasing from 1997 to 2017. Climate variability assessment done using the Mann-Kendall and Sen's slope estimator shows that average annual maximum temperature and mean temperature have positive trends, average annual minimum temperature shows a decreasing trend. Annual rainfall showed positive trend in the Bega season and decreasing trends in, Belg season and Kiremt season. Percentage changes were observed as 0.4%, 2.4% and 2.6% for average annual minimum, maximum and average annual temperature, respectively. Average annual rainfall, in Bega season, Belg season and Kiremt seasons was −1.7%, 3.5%, 6.5% and −6.4% respectively. Hence percentage changes show LU/LC change affects climate.