Introduction:

Anthropogenic activities have damaging impacts on the riverine ecosystem. Rise of Impervious cover in urban/ rural areas  leadi to changes in stream morphology, sedimentation and water quality and volume. Alteration of drainage pattern also has resulted in phenomenon’s  like flash floods and urban droughts in urban regions. Sinking ground water table eventually follows the above phenomenon’s.
Alteration of riparian channels:  These result from dam construction, from trans basin diversions, or by water removal from rivers for irrigation or other consumptive uses, often in combination. (Riparian Areas: Functions and Strategies for Management, 2002). Direct modification of stream channels is common in urban systems, and these direct alterations of channel morphology often are the most damaging changes urban streams experience. Some common process observed are channelization (i.e., channel straightening), channel hardening or armoring (e.g., lining channels and banks with concrete and riprap), creation of dams and impoundments, stream piping and burial. Channel incision and reduced infiltration (again, due to impervious surfaces) act to lower riparian water tables, thereby altering riparian hydrology.Water Pollution: High Phosphorus contents are observed in water bodies near agricultural fields. Lokeshwari and Chandrappa (2006) did a similar study in and around the city of Bangalore, where they assessed the heavy metal contamination of vegetation and soil due to irrigation with sewage-fed lake water on the agricultural land. The results showed significant amount of heavy metals, above the Indian Standard limits in both the soil as well as the vegetation samples.

Study area:Narmada River Riparian zone

Stretched over 92,672.42 Sq.km sq km of area, Narmada riparian zone supports livelihoods in three states in India, namely Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.  It is a major perennial source which provides drinking water, fishes, water for irrigation of farms, dense forests, rich plains and plenty other sources which are means of survival and sustenance for the people living in the region.It lies between Vindhyans and Satpura is much wide often extending to 250 km. The Deccan trap lava outpoured into the basin during the Mesozoic era consists of alluvium. The deposits in the upper part consists of, Clay, Gravel and `Kankar' and calcareous concretions. The mean height of Narmada Valley is 300 m

Demographics As per 2011 census the riparian zone of river Narmada has a total number of 37, 564 households and a population of 1,92,076 persons (male: 100,00, Female: 92,075) comprising of Scheduled Castes: 30,297 and Scheduled Tribes Population of 33,751. The working population is approximately half of the population with total workers of 80,986 and Marginal workers around 20,275 in numbers.

Methodology:

Data Set: For the purpose of the study, extraction and delineation of Narmada riparian zoneswere done from 30 m Digital Elevation Model or DEM. Processed images of land use land cover of Narmada basin for the year 2004 , 2008 and 2014 were obtained by Central water commission. Shape files of Livelihood zones and land use & land cover of this area from 2004 to 2015 was acquired from Food and Agriculture Organization and Central water commission of India respectively. Using this data, spatial change on eleven major land cover &use classes was measured.
The major four steps of the study are (1).Identification of anthropogenic activities by literature review; (2).Monitoring LULC changes in riparian buffer zone in ARC GIS ; (3). Correlating threats and environmental issues
1. Identification of anthropogenic activities by literature review: A review of research paper which dealt with Narmada river and the tributaries was done to identify urban stressors which affect riparian ecosystem. Google scholar indicated around 2,15,000 plus researches dealing with multiple stressors and their impact on riparian zones.  Papers were selected on the criteria to include; 1. Seminal articles in the field, 2.Recent articles which have not been included in earlier reviews, 3. Articles which specifically deal in riparian buffer stressor and the impacts. 4. Articles in refreed journals were selected. The above filter led to identification of 55 research papers on the core issue.  Over 50 sources are included in the review. The researches were identified and accessed in between the period of May 2016 to October 2017. Each study led to identification of certain stressor and its related impacts. The frequency of these stressors were studied to identify the most studied and the least studied areas.   The review and studies reveal the scale and presence of urban stressors.