Landuse change in upper Kansas river floodplain: following the 1993 flood

Abstract

The last major flood event that has caused great damage on the Kansas River in the USA occurred in 1993. The purpose of this study is to document landuse changes that occurred along the Kansas River following the 1993 floods. The patterns of landuse before and after the 1993 flood are compared using the Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite images from 1988, 1991, 1993, 1996, and 1998. The results show a change in the agricultural land in riparian areas following the 1993 flooding event. As a result, this study reports that the amount of agricultural land, the grassland, and the woodland reduced during the 1993 flood. The flood also resulted in a permanent loss of agricultural land and a decrease in production. Following the flood, the amount of grassland returned almost to pre-1993 levels. This study provides a useful description of a river flood using remote sensing methods and can show a way to decision makers for mitigation of flood effects and future river management plans.