Impact of Urbanization on Groundwater and Surface Temperature Changes: A Case Study of Lahore City

Huzaifah Zahran, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali, Khan Zaib Jadoon (), Hammad Ullah Khan Yousafzai, Khalil Ur Rahman () and Nadeem Ahmed Sheikh
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Huzaifah Zahran: Department of Civil Engineering, Islamic International University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Muhammad Zeeshan Ali: Department of Civil Engineering, Islamic International University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Khan Zaib Jadoon: Department of Civil Engineering, Islamic International University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Hammad Ullah Khan Yousafzai: Department of Civil Engineering, Islamic International University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Khalil Ur Rahman: State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Nadeem Ahmed Sheikh: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Islamic International University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-14

Abstract: The over-exploitation of groundwater resources is a significant concern due to the potential risks associated with the depletion of this valuable freshwater source. Future planning must consider changes in groundwater availability and urban expansion which are critical for understanding urban growth patterns. This study aims to investigate the impact of land cover change on groundwater depletion. Further, the Land surface temperature (LST) analysis has been performed to find the spatial spread of urbanization and its impact on surface temperature. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data for groundwater storage monitoring and Landsat data for land cover and LST mapping have been used. The GRACE-based Groundwater Storage (GWS) anomaly has been correlated with Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)-based precipitation data. The GWS is further cross validated with the groundwater monitoring stations in the study area and the correlation of 0.7 is found. The time series analysis of GWS and the land cover maps with a decadal interval from 1990 to 2020 has been developed to find the impact of groundwater change due to urbanization. The results demonstrate a rapid increase in groundwater depletion and urbanization rates over the past decade. The LST spatial pattern is increasing similarly with the study area’s urban expansion, indicating the temperature rise due to urbanization. The study highlights the limitation of effective policies to regulate groundwater extraction in urban areas and the importance of proper planning to ensure the long-term sustainability of freshwater resources.

Keywords: groundwater depletion; water resources; remote sensing; land use; land cover; Lahore city (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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