Application of Geographic Information System (GIS) in Accuracy Assessment of Existing Land Use Map a Case Study of Enugu Area, South-Eastern Nigeria

It is suspected that continuous building collapses within Enugu area is due to faulty landuse map. This work aims at employing geographic information system principles to assess the validity of the existing landuse map of Enugu area. Three landuse options were considered (Industrial, residential and waste). The study was undertaken using Arc view 3.2a academic, Excel Statistical Software and autocard software of GIS. A total of 12 landuse determinants were selected as thematic data layers and basic factors influencing the choice of industrial, residential and waste disposal landuses. Soil characteristics and geology were integrated into the thematic maps to facilitate the weighting of the basic determinants. The thematic layers were weighted on a scale of 0% - 100% and 0-2 inclusive, using the criteria obtained from field work and laboratory investigation. The thematic layers for each landuse were subjected to overlay using arc view software overlay model builder. The operation yielded three (3) different landuse maps (Industrial, residential and wasted disposal,) which were further superimposed to produce a composite landuse map useful for regional and urban planning. Correlation with existing landuse map, exposed a lot of limitations of the existing landuse map. All the residential and industrial areas of the existing landuse map fall within the low capacity areas of the present study. Areas selected as open space by the existing landuse map correspond to the areas of industrial and residential land uses of the present study. Areas limited for use by the present study due to hazards of flooding, landslide, fault and gully erosion were not considered by the existing landuse map, rather they were mapped out for industrial, residential and partly as open space. The existing landuse map has no provision for waste disposal. The present study shows that areas to the West, Southwest and Southeast are highly suitable for industrial and residential landuses. The limitations of the existing landuse map exposed by the present study must have accounted for the cases of building collapses in the area.