ABSTRACT
Since the beginning of human civilization, mankind has been dependent on land and water for sustenance. Over the years, human activities have modifi ed the natural environment to the extent that at present environmental sustainability is at danger. The term “land cover” refers to the biophysical cover of the land, and “land use” refers to the socio-economic use of land. Land use and land cover change (LULCC), in general means conversion of land to feed, provide shelter and other essentials to the growing human population.[1,2] Among different natural resources that are threatened by the direct and indirect impacts of LULCC, the vulnerability of fresh water resources is critical.[3] Land-change science has contributed signifi - cantly to the understanding of land use dynamics, yet the human use of land continues to be at the center of the most complicated and pressing problems faced by policy makers around the world today.[4] The principal effects of land use change include consumption of freshwater, alteration in the amount of evaporation, groundwater infi ltration, surface runoff, increasing sedimentation, and changes in the streamfl ow regime, which result in increased risk of fl ood or drought.[5] In a nutshell, land use change affects both the quantity and the quality of freshwater.
