DOI:- https://doi.org/10.64880/shikshasamvad.v3i4.32

Author(s) : Uma Bhattacharya¹ and Dr. Rajesh Jolly² 

Abstract: This paper synthesizes evidence on spatio-temporal land use/land cover (LULC) change in Chamoli District, Uttarakhand, from 1990 to 2026, situating local dynamics within broader central Himalayan transitions. Drawing on multi-temporal Landsat and Sentinel-2 imagery, DEM-derived terrain variables, NDVI, fragmentation metrics, and predictive modeling, we reconstruct three phases: a 1990–2010 baseline of declining agriculture and expanding built-up/vegetation; a 2010–2020 transition marked by intensified fragmentation, rapid urban growth, forest loss, and warming-linked hazard exposure; and a 2020–2026 expansion characterized by strong high-elevation greening, grassland spread over deglaciated terrain, increased barren land, and sharp snow decline. Elevation-zone analysis reveals upward migration of vegetation lines (7–28 m yr⁻¹) and disproportionate forest and grassland gains above ~4,100 m, alongside glacier retreat and dense glacial lake concentration in the Dhauliganga–Rishiganga system. Despite methodological advances toward multi-sensor, elevation-aware and prediction-oriented approaches, the district still lacks a fully harmonized 1990–2026 classification series. The results highlight how interacting climate variability, infrastructural growth, and slope-constrained hazards jointly reshape water regulation, slope stability, carbon storage, and settlement safety in a highly sensitive Himalayan landscape.

Keywords: Chamoli District; land cover change; spatio-temporal analysis, Forest Cover

Cite this Article: 

Uma Bhattacharya¹ and Dr. Rajesh Jolly² , “Spatio-Temporal Land Cover Change in Chamoli District, Uttarakhand (1990–2026): Methods, Trends, and Research Gaps” Shiksha Samvad International Open Access Peer-Reviewed & Refereed Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, ISSN: 2584-0983 (Online), Volume 03, Issue 04, Pp.303-316, June-2026. Journal URL: https://shikshasamvad.com/