Coastal Wetland Modeling Using Geoinformatics Technology of Namkhana Island, South 24 Parganas, W.B, India

Wetlands are one of our most important yet endangered and under-valued environments. Sustainable management of wetland ecosystem is necessary as it serves the important functions such as food storage, water quality maintenance and providing habitat for different species of wildlife. More than 75% of commercial fish species require wetlands to complete part of their life cycle. Many local and migratory birds also utilize coastal wetlands as breeding and roosting sites as well as providing food and habitat for many animal and plant species. Wetlands are also a valuable buffer against coastal erosion, storm surges and flooding. A study has been carried out to delineate the wetland, in and around Namkhana island of West Bengal, India, using IRS LISS-III data of the year 2010 and ETM data (2013). The data have been analyzed and the wetlands have been qualitatively characterized based on turbidity and aquatic vegetation status also recognizes pond area by Normalized Difference Pond Index, delineates open water features and enhances their presence in remotely-sensed digital imagery. Thus this study highlights the usefulness of remotely sensed data for wetland mapping, seasonal monitoring and characterization.