Determination of land use classification using geographic information systems in the Metztitlan river sub-basin in Hidalgo, Mexico

Soil is a natural resource of utmost importance for human beings, so defining its use is essential in an environmental study. The objective of this study was to determine the different classes of land use in the Metztitlán river sub-basin and to provide reliable information. The methodology employed was a quantitative approach and was carried out in four stages: field walks, preprocessing of the 2019 Landsat 8 satellite image, and classification and validation of land uses. The process was based on a hierarchical structure of the categories of such land uses. Subsequently, with the TerrSet software and field tours, these characteristics were described. A supervised maximum likelihood classification was performed, and six main classes were obtained: xerophytic scrubland (26 %), forests (including coniferous, oak, and cloud forests) (38 %), irrigated (12 %) and rainfed (8 %) agriculture, as well as water bodies (1 %) and urban areas (15 %). The classification validation showed more than 50 % agreement between the classes generated with the image and those obtained in the field.