Applications of erts products in range and water management problems, Sahelian zone : Mali, Upper Volta, and Niger

THE RESEARCHERS STUDIED THE ERTS IMAGERY AND THEN ASSESSED IT BY INSPECTING GROUND FEATURES IN TRIPS BY CAR, LIGHT PLANE, AND COMMERCIAL JET AIRCRAFT FLIGHTS. PROBLEMS EVALUATED INCLUDED THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENT OF ARABLE LAND, BUSH BURNING, LOCATION OF VILLAGES AND HEAVILY GRAZED STOCK TRAILS, TSE-TSE FLY AND RIVER-BLINDNESS CONTROL, EXTENT AND DURATION OF ANNUAL FLOODS OF THE NIGER RIVER, AND IDENTIFICATION OF LOCALITIES FAVORABLE FOR ACCUMULATION AND PRODUCTION OF GROUND WATER. THE RESULTS ARE PRESENTED IN PART IN ILLUSTRATIONS THAT SHOW WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE LANDSAT IMAGERY IN EVALUATING SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS. MAPPING PRODUCED FROM THE 1972 AND 1973 ERTS IMAGERY EVALUATED IN THIS STUDY WAS DONE ONLY AT A SCALE OF 1: 1,000,000. FOR FUTURE FIELD USE, SCALES OF 1: 500,000 OR 1: 125,000 ARE RECOMMENDED. THE IMAGERY CAN PROVIDE GENERAL OVERVIEWS OF REGIONS OR COUNTRIES IN AREAS WHERE FEW OR NO GOOD GROUND SURVEYS EXIST CAN MONITOR TRANSIENT ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES, AND CAN AID IN SOLVING PROBLEMS OF DISEASE CONTROL AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT.