Remote Sensing and GIS Mapping of Wetlands of Anambra River Basin, Nigeria

Abstract

Remote sensing and GIS have become highly valuable tools for rapid and effective mapping of features on the earth's surface. In this study, these tools were deployed to map the wetlands of a section of the Anambra river basin in south eastern Nigeria. Satellite imageries from Landsat ETM and the nation's own Nigeria SAT-1 were used. Image enhancement procedures from ArcGIS 9.3 and ILWIS academic proved very useful for the effective characterization of wetland features in the basin. It is recommended that the uptake of these nouvelle technologies be encouraged in the country as is in other countries for proper monitoring and use of the wetland resource in agricultural development and to forestall the recurrent decimal of environmental disasters, often witnessed in wetland areas.