River channelization as a catalyst of rural degradation in rapidly urbanizing regions

Rapid urbanisation in Southeast Asia often entails rural degradation, with peri-urban landscapes progressively becoming urban-oriented. During rapid urbanisation in peri-urban areas, channelization is extensively implemented as a flood control measure for planned urban growth. Notably, this engineering-driven alteration of the hydrologic systems often solely emphasises the enlargement of stormwater capacity, whereas slighting the resulting environmental, ecological, and social consequences to the natural equilibrium of the watershed and the catchment area. This research focuses on the revelatory case of Hong Kong, using aerial photographs from 1973 to 2021 to analyse landscape transformation in one area impacted by channelization (experimental group) and another unaffected by anthropogenic hydrologic system modification (control group). Overall, the findings quantify the impacts of channelization on landscape transformation. The findings suggest that channelization enhances rural degradation in both magnitude and speed, resulting in agricultural inactivation and non-conforming use of inactive agrarian lands.