A geographic information system (gis) based land suitability analysis and characterization for industrial siting in abakaliki area, Southeastern Nigeria

The Implication of appropriate site for industrial use is critical to environmental health. Determination of factors such as population, geospatial characterisation including climate are the baseline statistics needed to generate thematic map layers. Assessment of terrain provides information for optimum spatial utilization in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Geostastical data acquired from investigation were imported into appropriate software’s such as Rockworks 16, Microsoft excel, Global mapper and Arc-GIS. Thematic map layers of geology, lineament, soil class and depth, topographic elevation, slope, water table, hydrology, landuse, drainage and flood incursion characteristics are generated using baseline information. These thematic maps discrete pixels were objectively scaled, weighed and assigned a numerical rating according to their relative importance, delineated into different suitability class, converted to Geographic Information System (GIS) compatible format by scanning, digitization, common georeferencing, projection and conversion to common scale. They were then overlaid by interpolation using Arc-GIS Map Algebra. Final output of the thematic maps systematically demarcated into zones and encoded with values representing capability scales sliced into three suitability categories as highly suitable (S2), moderately suitable (S1) and marginally suitable (S0) which is important for planning, land-use and land management especially for industrial site criteria devoid of mismatch.