Remote Sensing (RS) Terrain Analysis for Mapping Water Accumulation Zones: Towards a Sustainable Rainwater Harvesting Approach for Cities

Abstract

The objective of this work is to improve rainwater Harvesting methodology, by integrating Geographical Information System(GIS) and Remote Sensing Techniques. The focus is on identifying the most suited zones for Rainwater Harvesting(RWH). To assess the hydrological behavior and surface runoff patterns, terrain parameters such as slope, flow accumulation and flow path length were analyzed using a Digital Elevation Model within an open-source geographic information system software, QGIS (Quantum GIS). To classify RWH suitability zones, a weighted overlay model was developed, which include slope (40%), flow accumulation (35%), and Flow path length (25%).  The integration of GIS based analysis with IMD rainfall data was also considered to develop a better framework for water conservation and drainage planning. The overall methodology focus on the effective urban water management and Climate-adaptive infrastructure planning.