Terrain Analysis and Land Use Planning

(GeES 3021)

Lecture Note
 Chapter One: Introduction
 What is terrain?
• Terrain is defined as "tract of country considered with regard to
its natural features, configurations etc."
• Terrain is defined as a "tract (large area) or regions around
immediately under observation, and environment." Because the
definition is confined with the surface of the earth, we consider
the geometry of earth (configurations ups and downs) that has
the variety of socio-economic attributes.
• Generally, terrain is a comprehensive term used to describe a
tract of landscape being studied with respect to its natural
features.
• Terrain map: - Is a map showing surface materials, their texture,
surface expression, present day geomorphological processes and
other features.
 Cont…

• Terrain analysis: the process of terrain mapping and interpretation

or assessment of terrain conditions for specific purpose such as
construction of logging roads or urban expansion.
• Terrain features: - landforms and related phenomena, such as
gravel pits and fossil sites, shown on a terrain by on site symbols

 There are two approaches in geographical studies:

1. Regional approach : African geography, Ethiopian geography,
terrain
2. Systematic approach: climate
• Terrain studies are regional studies usually with emphasis on relief
and essential physical features like soil, vegetation and drainage.
•
Terrain Analysis vs Terrain Evaluation
• Land as a resource includes all resources of the earth. Land as a
material includes the surface of the earth.
• Analysis refers to breaking up of any whole in to its parts so as
to find out the nature, property, function, relationship, etc and
dissolving resolution of the whole into parts.
• Terrain analysis involves the simplification of or resolution of
the complex phenomena which is the natural geographic
environment.
• Human and natural asset should be considered in land
evaluation.
 Land suitability for what tract of land it can be best used/ most
suitable
 Terrain attributes- are parts of terrain when synthesized a given
terrain.
 Terrain analysis is understanding terrain in terms of its attributes.
 Cont…
• Evaluation: - the act or resulting of expressing the
numerical value of studying concerning the worth of an
object, characterizing the terrain in terms of quantified
values (in terms of number assessment) for what it is
valuable. It is more inclusive and preferable to such
terms as analysis, classification, quantification,
assessment, or appraisal.
• Terrain evaluation is a process which involves the
following three parts:
1. Analysis- we break the whole in parts
2. Classification- we assemble the parts in to whole
3. Appraisal- involves manipulation, interpretation, and
assessment of data for practical aims.
Scope of Terrain Analysis and Terrain Evaluation

• Terrain classification is an initial stage for land use planning.

• Terrain evaluation is evaluating the terrain based on the analysis of
the terrain.
• Terrain evaluation has to consider users needs and the whole
problem of acquiring and classifying all information about the
terrain and its practical uses from the sources.
 Acquiring new knowledge from field survey and associated
laboratory work and statistical analysis.
 Secondly, it is concerned to the abstraction, classification, and
storage of such information to make it available cheaply, efficiently
and quickly.
 Thirdly, it considers the means by which such information is
retrieved (obtaining information from analogue or digital sources),
reproduced and supplied to users in accurate and comprehensive
manner.
 Cont…
 There is an exception for terrain evaluation scope:
1. Atmosphere is too variable and ephemeral (something we
have and loose unexpectedly) to be assigned to sufficiently
small and closely definable tract of the earth surface. The
atmosphere is so changing so the land evaluation may lack
affiliation (connection) because of the variation in
atmosphere.
2. The permanent expanses of water.
3. The part of the earth crust which lie at a depth greater than
6 meters (maximum depth of terrain). Mining deep well
drilling and others that do not involve the exploitation of
the immediate surface (surface and subsurface) are not
included under scope of terrain evaluation.
The basic Requirement of Terrain Evaluation System

 There are three basic requirements:

I. A method for dealing with request for information from
intended (potential) users, what is the need of potential
users in connection to terrain evaluation and terrain
analysis e.g. why terrain analysis is needed for an
agricultural purpose.
II. Capability for acquiring, analyzing, systematizing and
storing data about a terrain, its actual and potential uses,
i.e. terrain evaluation needs the skilled person for
acquiring the necessary data.
III. The method for retrieving data from storage and
translating into the form required by land users (potential
users).
Methods of Terrain Features Identification
1. Satellite image
2. Aerial Photographs
3.Topographic maps
4. Ground Survey
 Chapter Two

Terrain Attributes and

Classification
 The Attributes of Terrain

• An attribute is something that tells about a

phenomena
• Terrain has both physical and human attributes that
can describe it .
• The terrain analysis and classification is based on
physical characteristics of land. These include:
1. Aspect of relief: such as height, exposure to sun, slope
steepness and rate of dissection
2. Geomorphologic processes: such as degradation,
mixed denudation and erosion.
3. Rock structure: igneous, sedimentary and
metamorphic. They determine the nature of the soil,
drainage etc.
 Cont…
4. Soil characteristics: soil depth, texture, humus
content, drainage situation, land use..
5. Hydrologic characteristics: surface water, ground
water, water quality, etc
6. Land use and land cover: cultivated land and
vegetation cover. The land use indicates some of
the characteristics of the abiotic landscape; they
characterized what land is and make a closer
understanding then tend to classify the land.
 2.2 Types of Terrain features

• Its very important to recognize all the terrain

features of a given tract :to locate a point on
the ground or to navigate from one point to
another.
• Terrain features are derived from a complex
landmass known as a mountain or ridgeline.
• A ridgeline is a line of high ground, usually
with changes in elevation along its top and
low ground on all sides .
Cont…
 2.2.1Major terrain features

• The five major terrain features are: Hill, Ridge,

Valley, Saddle, and Depression.
• Hill : a hill is an area of high ground. From a
hilltop, the ground slopes down in all
directions.
• A hill is shown on a map by contour lines
forming concentric circles. The side of the
smallest closed circle is the hilltop.
Cont…
 Cont’d
• Ridge: - a line of high ground with height
variations along its crest.
• If you are standing on the centerline of a
ridge, you will normally have low ground in
different directions and high ground in one
direction with varying degrees of slope.
• If you cross a ridge at right angles, you will
climb steeply to the crest and then descend
steeply to the base.
Cont…
 Cont…
• Valley: - Reasonably level ground bordered on
the sides by higher ground.
• A valley begins with high ground on the three
sides, and usually has a course of running water
through it.
• Contour lines forming a valley are either U-
shaped or V-shaped.
• To determine the direction where water is
flowing look at the contour lines.
• The closed end of the contour line (U or V)
always points upstream or towards high ground.
Cont…
 Cont’d
• Saddle: - A saddle is a dip or low point
between two areas of high ground.
• A saddle is not necessarily the lower ground
between two hilltops; it may be a dip or break
along a level ridge crest.
Cont…
 Cont’d
• Depression: - A depression is a low point or hole
in the ground/sinkhole.
• could be described as an area of low ground
surrounded by higher ground in all directions or
simply a hole in the ground.
• Usually only depressions that are equal to or
greater than the contour interval will be shown.
• On maps depressions are represented by closed
contour lines that have tick marks pointing
toward low ground.
Cont…
 2.2.2 Minor terrain features

• Draw: - similar to valley, except that it

normally is a less developed stream course in
which there is generally not level ground.
• Draw can be considered as the initial
formation of valley.
• The contour lines depicting a draw are U-
shaped or V-shaped, pointing towards high
ground .
Cont…
 Cont’d
• Spur: - A spur is a short, continuously sloping
line of higher ground, normally jutting out
from the side of a ridge.
• A Spur is often formed by two thorough
parallel streams, which cut draws down the
side of a ridge.
Cont…
 Cont…
• Cliff: - a vertical or near vertical feature; it is
an abrupt change of the land.
• When a slope is so steep that the contour
lines converge into one carrying contour of
contours, this last contour line has tick marks
pointing toward low ground.
Cont…
 2.2.3 Supplementary features
• Cut: - A cut is man-made feature resulting from
cutting through raised ground, usually to form a
level bed for a road or railroad track.
• Cuts are shown on a map when they are at least
10 feet high, and they are drawn with a contour
line along the cutline.
• Fill: - A fill is a man-made feature resulting from
filling a low area, usually to form a level bed for a
road or railroad track.
• Fills are shown on a map when they are at least
10 feet high, and they are drawn with a contour
line along the fill line.
 2.4 Terrain Classification

• The analysis and classification of land form is basic to terrain studies

because landform can be defined as terrain features formed by natural
processes which have definable composition and range of physical
characteristics that occur where ever the land form is formed.
• It is in this context that terrain analysis and classification is linked to
geomorphology study which generally describes the landforms and
processes which lead to their formation and investigates the
interrelationship of this forms and processes in their spatial arrangement
overtime.
• Terrain units are true ecological units in which forms, processes, rocks,
soils, water and vegetation influence one another to form a particular
natural equilibrium.
• Terrain classification involves the arrangement and grouping of the
different areas of the earth’s surface into a variety of categories on the
bases of similarity of the type of surface near surface attributes.
 Terrain Class
• The terrain classification maps are perhaps closer to the
general purpose of geomorphological maps. The mapping
units i.e. terrain classes can be defined in four hierarchy which
may emphasize different aspects of the geomorphology and
their potential uses.
i. Terrain components
ii. Terrain unit
iii. Terrain system
iv. Terrain province
 Cont…
1.Terrain Components
• It forms the smallest terrain classes in which relief is
the most important aspect of classification criteria.
• The units are basically uniform in landform, lithology,
soil, vegetation and processes.
• But of these one may form the basic characteristics of
the terrain and it may be predominant.
• At this level, generalization is minor important.
• The map scale of such terrain components represented
in general 1:10,000 or larger and such maps are use for
a special development project (engineering and land
management).
 Cont…
2. Terrain Units
• It refers to one landform or homogenous landform
association.
• It refers to external and internal characteristics distinct
from those of surrounding landforms (to which they are
interrelated) with in the same terrain systems.
• In this case relief, lithology and genesis or origin are main
classification criteria. So grouping is made in terms of
similarity of the above factors.
• The map scale in which the terrain units are represented
ranges from 1:10,000 to 1:100,000.
• Terrain at terrain unit level may be used for advisory and
detailed development or planning projects.
 Cont…
3.Terrain System
• refer to a landscape unit of characteristic development
in a certain ecological environment, frequently
determined by genesis, lithology or climate.
• A terrain system will reflect repetitive patterns of
similar and genetically related landforms which can be
distinguished from one form in the surrounding terrain.
• The map scale suitable for showing terrain system is in
principle larger than 1:250,000. Such map may be used
for feasibility survey study and multipurpose land
development projects.
 Cont…
4. Terrain Province
• are the largest units into which association and complexes
of terrain systems and units are combined.
• A province is basically uniform in broad genetic relief,
climates or lithologic characteristics.
• So terrain province shows similarity in terms of climate,
relief and lithology.
• We have large coverage of land than others.
• The map scale suitable for showing terrain province is
frequently smaller than 1:250,000 and maps that show
terrain province may be used for identifying provinces
location for development project or as a guide for planning
development.
• It can also function as the framework for more detailed
studies.
Approaches to Terrain Analysis and Classification

• There are two approaches in which terrain

analysis and classification is made:
1. Parallel approach
2. Successive approach
 Parallel Approach
• It is a one stage approach in which we do the task
(survey) in both the physical and socioeconomic
properties of a terrain at the same time.
• We need many people from many disciplines.
• Geographers fit most of the work because of
their background in both social and natural
sciences.
 Cont…
 Successive Approach
• It is two stage approach in that we do one of the two
(physical or socio-economic properties) and then the other
follows.
• Some of the advantages of successive approach are that a
general terrain classification can be done first followed by
separating the current and potentially suitable areas from
those which are marginally suitable at the present.
• The socio-economic studies can then be concentrated on
the most promising areas with no time or money lost on
the studies of less favorable areas.
• Another advantage of such a two stage land evaluation
procedure is that the study can be started relatively quickly
with only few specialists.
 Cont…
Parallel Successive
• Many staff • Time taking
requirement • Cost effective
• Management • Few specialist (no
complexity scarcity of man power
• Budget constraint • Ease to manage
• Save time
 Cont…
• There are another three approaches of terrain
classification besides the above. These are:
1. Genetic approach
2. Landscape approach
3. Parametric approach
 Genetic approach: - much attention is given to
geologic aspects and geomorphologic processes
• with little attention to land forms.
• This result in classification system composed of terrain
units, systems and provinces each gives only a general
expression of a terrain.
• It serves mainly for reconnaissance(preliminary)
survey.
• Terrain components in such classification are lost.
 Cont…
 Landscape approach: - may serve the purpose much better
particularly if it is based on geomorphologic principles and by
take into account landforms, lithology and the genesis of past
and present processes.
 Parametric approach: - is frequently too detailed and too
academic and hence not to contribute a clear understanding
of the gross interactions in the ecologic system.
 It considers terrain components.