Land use change in Danjiangkou reservoir area of the middle-route of the south-to-north water diversion project

Based on RS and GIS, this paper analyzed the dynamic characteristics, spatial differences, distributive characteristics of different slope and elevation of land use change in Danjiangkou reservoir from 1990 to 2007. And it also analyzed the driving factors of land use change. Results show that all types of land use increased to different degrees except dry land and paddy field. With maximum annual rate of change of residential land, rural and urban areas were 12.85%, 7.47% repectively. The land use change among different types was mainly reflected by the arable land transferring into woodland, shrub, grassland and residential land. In addition, there were also obvious mutual transformation among the woodland, shrub and grassland. Social and economic development, population growth and government policy guidance were the main driving factors of land use change in Danjiangkou reservoir.