Spatio-temporal flood frequency dynamics in Kaziranga National Park using multi-year Sentinel-1 SAR and vegetation indices

Kaziranga National Park experiences dynamic and frequent floods along the Brahmaputra River, leading to significant ecological changes. A study using 228 Sentinel-1 SAR and 8 Sentinel-2 optical images (2015–2022) revealed that flood frequency (FF) is highest near the Brahmaputra channel, permanent waterbodies, and wetlands, with extreme years (2017, 2020, 2022) showing mean FF over 40%. Analysis identified 8.24% of the park with decreasing FF due to sediment deposition and 10.04% with increasing FF linked to erosion and channel encroachment. Flood ridges indicated average channel migration of ∼157 m upstream and ∼311 m inward, with localized shifts exceeding ∼1 km. DBSCAN clustering highlighted 68 zones of hydro-geomorphic instability, including 43 hotspots and 25 cold spots. Vegetation analysis showed NDVI decline in hotspots due to inundation but greening in cold spots from sediment deposition and grassland regeneration. This integrated SAR–optical approach provides critical insights for monitoring riverine ecosystems and strengthening conservation strategies.

Wale, P. B., Sivasankar, T., & Sanyal, R. (2026). Spatio-temporal flood frequency dynamics in Kaziranga National Park using multi-year Sentinel-1 SAR and vegetation indices. Kuwait Journal of Science, 53(2), 100552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kjs.2026.100552