Sustainability assessment of sodic land reclamation using remote sensing and GIS

Sodicland reclamation in the Indo-Gangetic plains is being done on a large scale in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana in India. However, in certain areas, the reclamation has been reported to be unsustainable and the soils are reverting back to sodicity condition. A study was conducted in one of the reclamation sites of Etawah district for sustainability assessment of sodic land reclamation using remote sensing, Geographic Information system (GIS) and ancillary ground information. Multitemporal satellite data were used for delineation of reclaimed sodiclands and reverted sodic land. Field survey was conducted to find out the various causative factors. Groundwater level information and detailed field survey data were analysed in GIS environment. Results showed that in the reclamation site covering 3,905 ha. in 57 villages of the district, about 27 per cent of reclaimed lands were reverted to sodicity. High water table condition, improper drainage, nearness to canal (within 500 m), and hard pan in the sub-soil were found to be the reasons for unsustainability of reclamation.