Lacking substantial erosive and sedimentation forces, regulated rivers allow their floodplains to become overgrown with forest, increasing the flood risk of the hinterland. In the Netherlands, floodplains have therefore been subjected to interventions, like clear cutting, lowering and creation of side channels, and management, consisting of grazing and mowing. However, the comprehension of how those activities influence landcover dynamics is lacking. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate long‐term landcover dynamics of a regulated river system through the lens of remote sensing. What transitions between landcover classes can be observed? And how (if) do management and interventions impact succession and retrogression of landcover classes? The study area comprised the upstream part of the Dutch Rhine River, its three branches and five adjacent floodplains. Satellite data (LandSat 5 and 8), encompassing a 35‐year period (1984–2018), were used for studying landcover dynamics. Landcover classification was based on seven classes: water, built‐up area, bare substrate, grass, herbaceous vegetation, shrubs and forest. Retrogression was highest for the landcover classes obstructing water flow (shrubs, forest and herbaceous vegetation), succession was most frequent on bare substrate, and water and grass were the most stable landcover classes. The regulated nature of the system became apparent from the spatial and temporal cacophony of landcover dynamics which differ from those of natural meandering rivers. This study showed that satellite data are useful for analyzing the impact of human activities within floodplains of regulated rivers and may assist in floodplain management aimed at combining water safety and nature policies.

中文翻译：

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使用卫星数据揭示训练有素的低地河流洪泛区 35 年的土地覆盖动态

由于缺乏大量的侵蚀力和沉积力，受管制的河流使其洪泛区长满了森林，增加了内陆地区的洪水风险。在荷兰，洪泛区因此受到干预，如清除、降低和创建侧渠道，以及管理，包括放牧和割草。然而，缺乏对这些活动如何影响土地覆盖动态的理解。因此，本研究的目的是通过遥感视角研究受调节河流系统的长期土地覆盖动态。可以观察到土地覆盖类别之间的哪些转变？以及（如果）管理和干预如何影响土地覆盖类别的继承和倒退？研究区包括荷兰莱茵河的上游部分，它的三个分支和五个相邻的洪泛区。卫星数据（LandSat 5 和 8）包含 35 年（1984-2018 年），用于研究土地覆盖动态。土地覆盖分类基于七类：水、建成区、裸露基质、草、草本植被、灌木和森林。阻碍水流的土地覆盖类别（灌木、森林和草本植被）的退化最高，在裸露基质上演替最频繁，水和草是最稳定的土地覆盖类别。从不同于自然蜿蜒河流的土地覆盖动态的空间和时间不和谐，该系统的调节性质变得明显。