Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Land Use Land Cover and Its Impact on Flood-Prone Drainage Basin of River Swat, Eastern Hindukush

This chapter deals with the spatio-temporal dynamics of land use land cover (LULC) and its impact on the flood-prone drainage basin of River Swat, Eastern Hindukush. In the study area (Swat River Basin), the population is increasing at a rapid pace and there is a consistent change in LULC. Swat River Basin is famous for eco-tourism and falls in the high flood hazard zone, wherein the upstream area has flash flood characteristics and the low-lying plain areas are exposed to riverine floods. In order to achieve the study objectives, data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources and were analyzed using geospatial techniques. It was found from the LULC analysis that river Swat is gradually changing its course. In the study area, the population is increasing at a rapid pace and as a consequence, there is a gradual human intervention in the flood-prone areas and encroachments over the farmland. The analysis revealed that after the disastrous flood events of 2010 and 2022, an exponential change has occurred in the flood-prone areas of Swat River Basin. In order to check such human-induced environmental challenges, planners and decision-makers should formulate land use regulations to check unprecedented interference over ecologically important land.