Ravine processes, its growth and impact on neighbouring localities, Sabarmati River basin

Implementing Partner -  Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar.

The Principal Investigator - Prof. Vikrant Jain, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar.

The main objective of the project is develop a process understanding of ravine landscape and use these insights for sustainable management of ravines around Sabarmati River.

1.       High-Resolution Topographic Mapping

2.       Gully Morphometry & Dynamics

3.       Multi-Temporal Vegetation Analysis

4.       Risk Assessment & Community Protocol

Methodology:

To survey the ravines, the following methodology is proposed

1.       DEM based mapping: Initially the complete ravine land around Sabarmati River will be mapped using higher resolution DEM data. For that purpose, 2.5 m Cartosat data will be used. This map will be used to identify a few ‘window’ or ‘hotspots’ of ravine erosion. These windows will be taken for detailed mapping using drone and/or Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS). 

Drone survey: 

•Data Acquisition: Using RTK-enabled drones

•Temporal Analysis:

•Vegetation Classification:

•Processing: Georeferencing via Agisoft Metashape and filtration

Expected Deliverables - detailed

1.       The primary output of this project will be a colourised, navigable 3D Point Cloud, offering a comprehensive visualisation of the complex ravines.

2.       A specific case study of the IIT Gandhinagar campus will be used to develop a drone-based mapping of vegetation area. A thematic map will be created to highlight areas with high slope angles and active headcuts.

3.       Drone based survey process should be able to map and delineate farm lans, forests, water bodies, roads, buildings, contours of whole area, and other significant visible surface elements. 

4.       drone-based survey of crop status through still photographs in required grid on a farm, and at required height, during a cropping season, to show the growth of crop.

5.       if any abnormal weather event occur during the study time, the impact of abnormal weather event on crop status will also be studied. For that purpose, one farmland near Sabarmati River will be taken in consultation with WIN foundation.

6.       This project will develop basic understanding of the science and technology involved. A future roadmap of development will be laid and explicitly documented covering following:

a.       Further scientific studies to develop the understanding of ravines and surrounding land forms / water bodies, listing practical on ground applications.

b.       Further roadmap of survey capabilities – e.g. What could be covered using multi-spectral or hyperspectral cameras on drones, giving supporting scientific papers, technology and process involved etc. Potential of the cameras on crop health monitoring will also be explored for future work.

c.       Further roadmap of Crop Status survey e.g, What could be covered using multi-spectral or hyperspectral cameras and any other sensors on drones, with more status on soil health, soil moisture, crop health, diseases existing or predictable, etc., giving supporting scientific papers, technology and process involved etc.

d.       In all above AI/ML tools usage possibility should be clearly documented.

e.       The future roadmap above should preferably be documented as a proposal which could be submitted with minimum contextual changes to any funding agencies by IIT Gandhinagar.