Using the VCI and NDWI Index in Land Cover Assessment in Youssoufia District

Abstract

This research aims to study the changes in vegetation and water cover in Youssoufia district during the period (2013-2023) using the VCI (Vegetation Condition Index) and NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index). Analysis of satellite visualizations captured via Landsat-8 for 2013 and Landsat-9 for 2023 using ArcGIS 10.8 was used to detect the extent to which climatic factors and unregulated use of water resources affect land cover.

The results showed that the percentage of land that was severely affected by drought according to the VCI index decreased from 21.9% in 2013 to 21.1% in 2023, while the moderate drought category decreased from 42.4% to 31.2%, indicating a slight improvement in some areas. On the other hand, the proportion of wetlands increased from 8.4% in 2013 to 21.3% in 2023, reflecting the increasing expansion of aquariums, especially fish lakes that affected the natural distribution of water cover.

As for the NDWI index, the proportion of dryland decreased from 59.9% in 2013 to 30% in 2023, while areas with high water content increased from 10% to 17.5% during the same period. This change reflects the impact of human and climatic factors on water resources and their distribution, as increasing indiscriminate water consumption and climate change have contributed to changing water cover distribution patterns