Course Modules

Module 1: Fundamentals of Catchment Hydrology & Watershed Management

• Introduction to catchment processes: precipitation, infiltration, runoff, and evaporation.

• Key concepts in integrated watershed management.

• The role of GIS and Remote Sensing in modern resource management.

• Identifying data needs and sources for watershed studies.

• Case Study: The challenges of a specific watershed (e.g., urbanization, agriculture, deforestation).

Module 2: Introduction to GIS & Remote Sensing for Watershed Analysis

• Overview of QGIS interface and essential plugins (SAGA, GRASS).

• Types and sources of remote sensing data (Landsat, Sentinel, MODIS).

• Understanding and sourcing Digital Elevation Models (DEMs).

• Basic raster and vector operations in QGIS.

• Hands-on: Data preparation and project setup for a sample watershed.

Module 3: Watershed Delineation and Characterization

• DEM pre-processing: filling sinks and calculating flow directions.

• Automatic delineation of stream networks and watershed boundaries.

• Calculating fundamental watershed morphometric parameters (area, slope, drainage density).

• Defining and delineating sub-catchments.

• Exercise: Delineating the full watershed and sub-basins for a chosen area.

Module 4: Land Use Land Cover (LULC) Mapping and Change Detection

• Fundamentals of image classification: supervised vs. unsupervised methods.

• Processing satellite imagery: compositing, band ratios, and indices (NDVI, NDWI).

• Performing a supervised land cover classification.

• Assessing classification accuracy.

• Analyzing LULC change over time.

• Practical: Creating a LULC map for the watershed for two time periods.

Module 5: Developing a Watershed Management Plan

• Identifying key issues from the geospatial analysis (e.g., erosion hotspots, deforestation, urbanization).

• Prioritizing sub-watersheds for intervention.

• Mapping suitable sites for conservation practices (e.g., check dams, afforestation areas).

• Creating effective maps and dashboards for communication and reporting.

• Group Project: Integrating all analyses into a presentation for a mock stakeholder meeting.

• Course review, feedback, and certification.