Urban growth analysis and modeling in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Haack, Barry; Rafter, Ann

doi:10.1016/j.habitatint.2005.12.001

Cited by 96 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…These include, unregulated urban development, inadequate enforcement of land use policies, poorly maintained city infrastructures, the massive influx of people from surrounding rural areas and hinterlands, land speculation, excessive pressure of commercial activities, and gaps in supply and demand for basic services. The previous studies i.e., [1,6,11,12,14] indicated that the urban growth was happening in the central KV area and the mountainous areas were sparsely populated patches of agricultural settlements and mixed forests. As a result, disregarding the forested steep slopes (>20 • ) we focused our study on the central KV comprising an area of 422.84 km 2 ( Figure 1).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Surrounded by the Himalayan mountain range, the valley of Kathmandu is comprised of three districts: Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, together with expanding an area of 899 km 2 [14]. The generally flat floor of the valley is at the average elevation of 1300 m surrounded by mountains that are 1900-2800 m tall [11], except for a narrow winding outlet of the Bagmati River towards the south, three mountain passes of about 1500 m altitude on the east and west of the valley. This valley is a tertiary structural basin that is covered by fluvial and lacustrine sediments and encircled by mountains on all sides [14].…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, Haack and Rafter [11] analyzed the land use changes that occurred between 1978 and 2000 using GIS tools and found around 450% growth of urban areas in these years. In another study, Haack [1] showed the similar trend of urban expansion by comparing maps from different years in the period of 1955 and 2000.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rapid Urban Growth in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: Monitoring Land Use Land Cover Dynamics of a Himalayan City with Landsat Imageries

2017

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Abstract:The Kathmandu Valley of Nepal epitomizes the growing urbanization trend spreading across the Himalayan foothills. This metropolitan valley has experienced a significant transformation of its landscapes in the last four decades resulting in substantial land use and land cover (LULC) change; however, no major systematic analysis of the urbanization trend and LULC has been conducted on this valley since 2000. When considering the importance of using LULC change as a window to study the broader changes in socio-ecological systems of this valley, our study first detected LULC change trajectories of this valley using four Landsat images of the year 1989, 1999, 2009, and 2016, and then analyzed the detected change in the light of a set of proximate causes and factors driving those changes. A pixel-based hybrid classification (unsupervised followed by supervised) approach was employed to classify these images into five LULC categories and analyze the LULC trajectories detected from them. Our results show that urban area expanded up to 412% in last three decades and the most of this expansion occurred with the conversions of 31% agricultural land. The majority of the urban expansion happened during 1989-2009, and it is still growing along the major roads in a concentric pattern, significantly altering the cityscape of the valley. The centrality feature of Kathmandu valley and the massive surge in rural-to-urban migration are identified as the primary proximate causes of the fast expansion of built-up areas and rapid conversions of agricultural areas.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Rapid Urban Growth in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: Monitoring Land Use Land Cover Dynamics of a Himalayan City with Landsat Imageries

2017

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“…The population of the valley, growing about 4.3% annually, increased by more than 499% between 1955 and 2008 (Bhattarai and Conway 2010). The valley's built-up area increased from 2.94% in 1967 to 24.7% in 2011 (Thapa andMurayama 2009, JICA 2012), which involved rapid changes in land and water uses in areas that were predominantly rural and agricultural until recently (Haack andRafter 2006, Thapa andMurayama 2009).…”

Section: Kathmandu Valleymentioning

confidence: 99%

Flows of change: dynamic water rights and water access in peri-urban Kathmandu

Shrestha¹,

Roth²,

Joshi³

2018

E&S

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ABSTRACT. Urbanization and the changing climate are increasingly influencing people's access to land and water. Changes in use of, and rights and access to, land and water are most acutely experienced in peri-urban areas. We analyze these changes in peri-urban Kathmandu, Nepal. Increasing pressures on land and growing water needs of an expanding population in Kathmandu Valley are creating new patterns of water use, water-related conflicts, and (in)securities. We use two case studies that are characteristic of these changes, with a focus on the microlevel redefinitions of, and struggles about, rights, access, and notions of legitimate water use, and what these mean for water security and water conflict in a socially and institutionally complex and dynamic environment. Our findings show that these water-related changes cause contestations and conflicts between peri-urban water users. Amid increasing competition for water, people are using new sources and technologies, searching for negotiated solutions based on local norms and rights, and co-opting other water users through cooperation to create access opportunities and avoid conflicts. Our cases show self-restraint in practices of claiming or accessing water, while avoidance of conflicts also derives from an awareness of unequal power relations between user groups, past experiences of violence used against protesters, and lack of active intervention to regulate increasing exploitation of peri-urban land and water resources.

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“…Over the last century, the Himalayan arc has experienced four earthquakes with magnitude around 8.5 in 1897, 1905, 1934, and 1950 (Haack and Rafter, 2006). Today, with an average annual growth rate of 4.59 % between 2000 and 2005, Kathmandu is one of the fastest-growing city in the world, facing high earthquake risk (UN DESA, 2012).…”

Section: Case Study Kathmandu Metropolitan Citymentioning

confidence: 99%

Open space suitability analysis for emergency shelter after an earthquake

Anhorn

Khazai

2015

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract.In an emergency situation shelter space is crucial for people affected by natural hazards. Emergency planners in disaster relief and mass care can greatly benefit from a sound methodology that identifies suitable shelter areas and sites where shelter services need to be improved. A methodology to rank suitability of open spaces for contingency planning and placement of shelter in the immediate aftermath of a disaster is introduced. The Open Space Suitability Index uses the combination of two different measures: a qualitative evaluation criterion for the suitability and manageability of open spaces to be used as shelter sites and another quantitative criterion using a capacitated accessibility analysis based on network analysis. For the qualitative assessment implementation issues, environmental considerations and basic utility supply are the main categories to rank candidate shelter sites. A geographic information system is used to reveal spatial patterns of shelter demand. Advantages and limitations of this method are discussed on the basis of an earthquake hazard case study in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City. According to the results, out of 410 open spaces under investigation, 12.2 % have to be considered not suitable (Category D and E) while 10.7 % are Category A and 17.6 % are Category B. Almost two-thirds (59.55 %) are fairly suitable (Category C).

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Urban growth analysis and modeling in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Cited by 96 publications

References 6 publications

Rapid Urban Growth in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: Monitoring Land Use Land Cover Dynamics of a Himalayan City with Landsat Imageries

Rapid Urban Growth in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: Monitoring Land Use Land Cover Dynamics of a Himalayan City with Landsat Imageries

Flows of change: dynamic water rights and water access in peri-urban Kathmandu

Open space suitability analysis for emergency shelter after an earthquake

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