LAND SUITABILITY SCENARIOS FOR ARID COASTAL PLAINS USING GIS MODELING: SOUTHWESTERN SINAI COASTAL PLAIN, EGYPT <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.4090/juee.2009.v3n2.073083" Target="_blank">(doi: 10.4090/juee.2009.v3n2.073083)</a>

Abstract

Site selection analysis was carried out to find the best suitable lands for development activities in an example of promising coastal plains, southwestern Sinai, Egypt. Two GIS models were developed to represent two scenarios of landuse suitability in the study area using GIS Multi Criteria Analysis Modeling. The factors contributed in the analysis are the Topography, Land cover, Existing Land use, Flash flood index, Drainage lines and Water points. The first scenario was to classify the area according to various gradual ranges of suitability. According to this scenario, the area is classified into five classes of suitability. The percentage of suitability values are, 51.16%, 6.13%, 22.32 %, 18.49% and 1.89% for unsuitable, least suitable, low suitable, suitable and high suitable, respectively. The second scenario is developed for a particular kind of landuse planning; tourism and recreation projects. The suitability map of this scenario was classified intoto five values. Unsuitable areas represent (51.18%) of the study area, least suitable (16.67%), low suitable (22.85%), suitable (8.61%), and high suitable (0.68%). The best area for locating development projects is the area surrounding El-Tor City and close to the coast. This area could be an urban extension of El-Tor City with more economical and environmental management.