Ecology and Environment

Land use changes  hydrologic system and have potentially large impacts on water resources. An assessment in an area with seasonally limited water availability and which is subject to rapid socio- economic development and population growth will provide an exemplary view on the local impacts of major recent developments in India. In this backdrop this paper analyzes past land use changes between 1989 and 2009 and their impacts on the water balance in the Mula and Mutha Rivers catchment upstream of Pune. The aim of the paper is:

• assess the land use changes between 1989/1990 and 2009/2010
• analyze the impacts of these changes on the long-term water balance components in the Mula and Mutha Rivers catchment upstream of the city of Pune.

About The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

ICIMOD is a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge sharing centre serving the eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.

Communications and dissemination lie at the heart of ICIMOD’s activities. The Centre publishes a wide range of materials every year to be shared with a diverse range of audiences.

Background

Mountains are important global ecosystems facing especially rapid socioeconomic and environmental changes, particularly the impacts of climate change. Our aim is to influence policy and practices to meet the associated challenges emerging in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. Working to deliver impacts in five Regional Programmes across four Thematic Areas – Water and Air; Ecosystem Management; Livelihoods; and Geospatial Solutions – supported by integrated knowledge management, we seek to improve the lives and livelihoods of mountain women and men, now and for the future.