Assessment of the effect of land use /land cover changes on total runoff from Ofu River catchment in Nigeria

Authors

  • Meshach Ileanwa Alfa University of Jos, Nigeria
  • M A Ajibike Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
  • Donatus B Adie Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
  • O J Mudiare Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15243/jdmlm.2018.053.1161

Keywords:

Curve number, LULC, Ofu river catchment, Soil type, Runoff

Abstract

The total runoff from a catchment is dependednt on both the soil characteristics and the land use/land cover (LULC) type. This study was conducted to examine the effect of changes in land cover on the total runoff from Ofu River Catchment in Nigeria. Classified Landsat imageries of 1987, 2001 and 2016 in combination with the soil map extracted from the Digital Soil Map of the World was used to estimate the runoff curve number for 1987, 2001 and 2016. The runoff depth for 35 years daily rainfall data was estimated using Natura Resource Conservation Services Curve Number (NRCS-CN) method. The runoff depths obtained for the respective years were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance at 95% level of significance. P-value < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Runoff curve numbers obtained for 1987, 2001 and 2016 were 61.83, 63.26 and 62.79 respectively. The effects of the changes in LULC for 1987-2001, 2001-2016 and 1987-2016 were statistically significant (P<0.001) at 95% confident interval.  The average change in runoff depths were 79.81%, -11.10% and 48.09% respectively for 1987-2001, 2001-2016 and 1987-2016. The study concluded that the changes in LULC of the catchment had significant effect on the runoff from the catchment.

Author Biographies

Meshach Ileanwa Alfa, University of Jos, Nigeria

Civil Engineering and Lecturer II

M A Ajibike, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

Water Resources and Environmental Engineering and Senior Lecturer

Donatus B Adie, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

Water Resources and Environmental Engineering and Professor

O J Mudiare, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering and Professor

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Submitted

27-12-2017

Accepted

04-01-2018

Published

01-04-2018

How to Cite

Alfa, M. I., Ajibike, M. A., Adie, D. B., & Mudiare, O. J. (2018). Assessment of the effect of land use /land cover changes on total runoff from Ofu River catchment in Nigeria. Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management, 5(3), 1161–1169. https://doi.org/10.15243/jdmlm.2018.053.1161

Issue

Section

Research Article