Keywords
Abstract
Rapid urban expansion in coastal Indian cities is associated with changes in land cover and may place pressure on water resources. This study compares land use/land cover (LULC) and groundwater depth in Velachery, Chennai, for 2017 and 2024. Esri 10 m Sentinel-2 based LULC layers were quantified in ArcGIS Pro from pixel counts, and class-wise change was summarised in a change detection matrix. Groundwater depth data from the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) were interpolated using the inverse distance weighted (IDW) method. The area was already about 90% built-up in 2017. Built-up area increased from 1,774.13 ha to 1,796.91 ha (+1.28%), while water bodies decreased from 50.02 ha to 41.13 ha (−17.77%), tree cover from 93.73 ha to 80.62 ha (−13.99%) and rangeland from 34.64 ha to 29.11 ha (−15.96%). At the Velachery observation point, depth to groundwater changed from 8.118 m in 2017 to 4.010 m in 2024 (−4.108 m), and the interpolated depth range narrowed from 3.294–8.160 m to 3.250–4.406 m. The continued loss of water bodies and vegetation in an already densely built-up area may have contributed to a reduced capacity for natural recharge, and the results suggest a potential relationship between urban growth and pressure on water resources. The shallower groundwater depth in 2024 may be associated with rainfall and seasonal conditions and should not be read alone as a sign of reduced urban pressure. The findings support recharge-oriented planning, protection of the remaining water bodies and continued groundwater monitoring.
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