Drivers of land use/cover change and its impact on Pong Dam wetland

Population growth, urbanization, and changing land use/cover practices are responsible for the loss of ecosystem services of wetlands around the world. The present study investigated wetland degradation that occurred in the Western Himalaya, Himachal Pradesh, India. The land use/cover change maps between 2001 and 2016 derived from remotely sensed imagery showed that the Pong Dam wetland is severely affected due to anthropogenic pressure posing risks of habitat destruction within its catchment area. The agriculture area increased by 159% and barren land decreased by 53% between 2001 and 2016. It indicates the rapid conversion of unused or scrub land for agriculture purpose in the area. The rate of sedimentation in the wetland is around 24.4 M.cum/year, and the survival age of the wetland is about 100 years. This rate is likely to increase in the near future due to large-scale unregulated development in the area. To reduce further destruction in this wetland, agricultural practices should be minimized in the area, and agroforestry practices should be encouraged to maintain the health and ecology of the wetland.