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The “Meteorological Data of Mizoram – 2012” report represents the second-phase update of the Meteorological Data of Mizoram project undertaken by the Mizoram Remote Sensing Application Centre (MIRSAC). Building upon the original meteorological compilation published in 2009, this edition extends the available climatic database up to 2011, thereby providing a longer temporal reference for understanding the State’s rainfall, temperature and relative-humidity characteristics. The principal objective was to consolidate dispersed meteorological observations into a systematic, readily accessible database for use in Remote Sensing and GIS studies, natural-resource assessment, development planning and scientific research. Primary observations were compiled from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Economics & Statistics, BRTF–Project Pushpak and Directorate of Science & Technology, Government of Mizoram, supplemented by available meteorological information from MOSDAC and AccuWeather.The report provides district-wise information for all eight districts of Mizoram, with rainfall series extending largely from 1986 to 2011, although temporal coverage varies according to data availability. Temperature information was expanded considerably compared with the earlier edition and is presented for all eight districts, while relative-humidity observations remained more spatially limited. The database demonstrates the strongly monsoonal character of Mizoram’s climate, with rainfall concentrated primarily between May and September. At the State level, the compiled district averages indicate an annual rainfall of approximately 2,693.4 mm, with monthly averages increasing from only 9.3 mm in January to 452.4 mm in July and 460.9 mm in August, before declining after September. This pronounced seasonal concentration has important implications for agriculture, water-resource availability, erosion, landslides and infrastructure management.Temperature observations indicate a generally moderate but seasonally distinct thermal regime. The State-level monthly average mean temperature increases from about 17.5°C in January to approximately 25–26°C during May–September. Average monthly maximum temperatures reach around 33.1°C during April–May, whereas the average minimum falls to about 9.4°C in January. Considerable spatial variation is evident between the warmer lower-elevation districts and cooler elevated locations. Relative humidity likewise follows the monsoonal cycle, increasing substantially from the relatively drier winter and pre-monsoon months and remaining generally around or above 89–92% during the core monsoon months of July–September.Overall, the project established an important long-term meteorological baseline for Mizoram, while also revealing spatial and temporal gaps in the historical observation network. The resulting tables, charts and district-wise climatic summaries constitute a valuable reference for agriculture and horticulture, hydrology, forestry, environmental assessment, disaster-risk studies, infrastructure design, climate analysis and Remote Sensing/GIS modelling, and provide a foundation for continued meteorological database development and future climate-change assessments. Summarized MetadataMapping Scale: N.A Satellite data & Year: N.AThematic sub-category: Meteorology; Climate; Weather dataCollaborating/Funding Agency: Mizoram Remote Sensing Application Centre (MIRSAC)Report Publication Month/Year: May, 2012

The “Meteorological Data of Mizoram” project was undertaken by the Mizoram Remote Sensing Application Centre (MIRSAC), Science & Technology, Planning Department, Government of Mizoram, to create a consolidated meteorological reference database for scientific studies, Remote Sensing and GIS applications, and development planning in the State. The report reviewed here represents the first phase of the project, covering available meteorological observations primarily for the period 1986–2008 and published in 2009. The initiative responded to the recurring requirement for dependable climatic inputs in natural-resource assessment, agricultural studies, environmental monitoring and other geospatial projects. The database was compiled from records obtained from the Department of Agriculture, Government of Mizoram; Department of Economics & Statistics, Government of Mizoram; and BRTF, Project Pushpak.The report organizes district-wise and State-level information on rainfall, temperature and relative humidity. Rainfall records were available for all eight districts, while temperature data could be compiled for five districts—Kolasib, Aizawl, Champhai, Lunglei and Lawngtlai—and humidity information for four districts. Other meteorological variables such as wind direction, wind velocity and sunshine duration could not be systematically tabulated because adequate historical records were unavailable.The compiled observations reveal Mizoram’s strongly monsoonal climatic regime. State-level rainfall records show considerable inter-annual variation, with annual totals generally exceeding 2,000 mm and several years approaching or surpassing 2,700 mm. Rainfall is concentrated between May and September, while the winter months are comparatively dry. District-level contrasts are also evident: for example, Lawngtlai recorded an average annual rainfall of about 2,532 mm, whereas Mamit averaged approximately 2,692 mm over its available record. Temperature data for Mizoram indicate a relatively moderate thermal regime, with monthly mean temperatures ranging from about 16.4°C in January to approximately 25.4°C in June. Recorded monthly maxima in the district datasets reached around 39°C, while winter minima in some locations fell to near 1–7°C. Relative humidity remained high for much of the monsoon period, with State-level monthly averages reaching around 90% during July–August, compared with generally lower values during the drier winter months.Overall, the project established an important historical climatic baseline for Mizoram. Its organized meteorological tables provide a valuable reference for agriculture and horticulture planning, hydrological studies, forestry, environmental assessment, infrastructure design, disaster-risk analysis, climate-related research and Remote Sensing/GIS modelling. The report also recognized the need for continued database updating, providing the foundation for the subsequent second-phase extension of the meteorological record beyond 2008. Summarized MetadataMapping Scale: N.A Satellite data & Year: N.AThematic sub-category: Meteorology; Climate; Weather dataCollaborating/Funding Agency: Mizoram Remote Sensing Application Centre (MIRSAC)Report Publication Month/Year: November, 2009

The “Wetland Inventory and Assessment of Mizoram” was undertaken as the State component of the National Wetland Inventory and Assessment (NWIA) Project, formulated by the Space Applications Centre (SAC), ISRO, Ahmedabad and funded by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India. For Mizoram, the project was implemented by the Mizoram Remote Sensing Application Centre (MIRSAC) with technical guidance and support from SAC and NESAC. The principal objective was to prepare a scientifically standardized inventory of wetlands at 1:50,000 scale, generate a seamless GIS database, integrate ancillary spatial layers, and contribute to the National Wetland Atlas.The study utilized IRS-P6 LISS-III satellite imagery from both post-monsoon (December 2006) and pre-monsoon (March 2007) periods, supplemented by Survey of India topographic maps, administrative boundaries, ground-truth observations and other ancillary datasets. Wetlands were delineated through digital classification and on-screen interpretation using ERDAS Imagine, ARC/INFO and ArcGIS. Spectral indices including NDWI, MNDWI, NDVI, NDPI and NDTI were applied to characterize wetland extent, open-water spread, aquatic vegetation and turbidity. The project followed the NWIA classification and database standards to ensure compatibility with the national geospatial framework.The inventory identified 41 wetlands larger than the minimum mapping unit, excluding rivers and streams, together with 148 wetlands smaller than 2.25 ha. Total wetland area was estimated at 13,989.28 ha. Rivers and streams overwhelmingly dominated the wetland resource, accounting for approximately 13,496.19 ha, while lakes and ponds occupied 185.49 ha, waterlogged areas 132.87 ha, and reservoirs/barrages 26.74 ha. Seasonal open-water extent was estimated at 13,835.89 ha during the post-monsoon period and 13,817.61 ha during the pre-monsoon period, indicating relatively limited seasonal variation at State scale. Aquatic vegetation covered about 55.62 ha post-monsoon and 61.29 ha pre-monsoon. Most mapped water bodies exhibited low turbidity, with no areas categorized under the high-turbidity class.District-wise analysis showed that Lunglei contained the largest share of mapped wetland area, about 22.91% of the State total, followed by Mamit and Lawngtlai; Kolasib and Serchhip contained comparatively smaller proportions. Major wetland types included rivers, lakes and ponds, with representative field validation carried out using GPS and standardized ground-truth procedures.Overall, the project established a standardized and spatially explicit baseline of Mizoram’s wetland resources. The resulting maps, seasonal water-spread information, wetland classification layers and GIS database provide an important foundation for wetland conservation, biodiversity assessment, water-resource planning, environmental monitoring and future change detection, while also integrating Mizoram’s wetland information into the broader National Wetland Inventory framework. Summarized MetadataMapping Scale: 1:50,000 Satellite data & Year: IRS LISS III (2006 & 2007)Thematic sub-category: Forestry & Environment, Water resourcesCollaborating/Funding Agency: Ministry of Environment & Forest, Govt. of India & Space Application Centre, AhmedabadReport Publication Month/Year: October, 2009

The project “Study of Bamboo Flowering in Mizoram using Remote Sensing and GIS” was undertaken collaboratively by the Mizoram Remote Sensing Application Centre (MIRSAC) and the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC), Department of Space, Government of India, with financial and technical support from NESAC. The study was conceived in response to the large-scale gregarious bamboo flowering that culminated around 2007 and its associated ecological and socio-economic consequences. Its primary objectives were to document the general pattern of bamboo flowering in Mizoram, map flowering areas, and analyse their spatial progression using multi-temporal satellite data from 2005, 2006 and 2008.The methodology employed IRS-P6 LISS-III satellite imagery, supported by ancillary information, ground verification and GIS-based interpretation. Image processing included geo-rectification, enhancement, digital classification and application of vegetation-related models such as NDVI, Bamboo Index and Stress Index. District-wise bamboo layers were generated for all eight districts for each observation year, producing 24 interpreted thematic layers that were cross-referenced for change detection and statistical assessment. The final database distinguished non-flowering bamboo, flowering bamboo and newly regenerated bamboo areas, while field-derived parameters were also used to estimate losses in bamboo culm resources.The 2005 baseline assessment estimated 5,697.29 sq. km of bamboo cover across Mizoram. In 2006, bamboo flowering was still relatively limited, accounting for about 6.05% of the mapped bamboo area, with Aizawl recording the largest flowering extent and Champhai showing a comparatively high proportional incidence. By 2008, flowering had expanded dramatically to 3,312.61 sq. km, representing 56.88% of the total bamboo area mapped for that year. Lunglei recorded the largest absolute flowering area at 854.63 sq. km, while Saiha and Kolasib showed very high proportional flowering levels of 83.07% and 81.15%, respectively.The cumulative analysis indicates that the flowering wave accelerated sharply between 2006 and 2008. When referenced to the original 2005 bamboo cover, the total flowering area during 2006–2008 was estimated at 3,675.20 sq. km, or 64.50% of the 2005 bamboo area. The study also estimated the loss of approximately 3,324.63 million bamboo culms, equivalent to 66.77% of the estimated live culm stock in 2005. Lawngtlai and Saiha experienced particularly severe proportional culm losses, exceeding 95%.Overall, the project successfully established a comprehensive geospatial record of bamboo flowering progression in Mizoram and demonstrated the value of multi-temporal Remote Sensing and GIS for monitoring large-scale vegetation change. The resulting maps, change matrices and bamboo-loss estimates provide an important scientific baseline for bamboo regeneration studies, resource management, forest-fire preparedness, rural livelihood planning and future modelling of cyclical bamboo flowering events.Summarized MetadataMapping Scale: 1:50,000 Satellite data & Year: IRS P6 LISS-III (2005, 2006, 2008)Thematic sub-category: Environment & ForestCollaborating/Funding Agency: North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC)Report Publication Month/Year: August, 2009

The second-phase report of the project “Mapping and Growing Stock Assessment of Bamboo in Mizoram using Remote Sensing and GIS” presents the post-flowering assessment of bamboo resources and natural regeneration following the widespread gregarious flowering of 2006–2007. The study was undertaken to reassess the bamboo resource base after flowering, map regenerating areas, evaluate the regenerative capacity of bamboo forests and estimate the likely growing stock once the new bamboo crop reaches maturity. The report therefore complements the first-phase pre-flowering assessment by providing a post-flowering perspective on the condition and recovery potential of bamboo resources across Mizoram.The assessment used IRS-1D LISS-III satellite imagery acquired in 2008 from the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad, together with Survey of India topographic sheets at 1:50,000 scale, existing land-use and road information, previous bamboo inventories and intensive field observations. Ground surveys recorded the number of culms, diameter, height, age and species composition of regenerating bamboo. Remote Sensing and GIS techniques were used to correct and update bamboo-cover maps, distinguish post-flowering areas from the limited non-flowering patches, and generate district-, watershed- and forest-division-wise estimates of area, culm abundance and predicted growing stock.The analysis estimated a total bamboo-bearing area of 7,091.66 sq. km, equivalent to 33.63% of Mizoram’s geographical area. On the basis of regeneration surveys and expected growth to maturity, the total bamboo growing stock was predicted at approximately 24.01 million metric tonnes, with an average of 3,386.25 MT per sq. km and an estimated 6,123.86 million culms statewide. Among the districts, Lunglei contained the largest bamboo area at 1,956.59 sq. km and the highest predicted growing stock at approximately 6.109 million tonnes. Mamit followed with about 4.164 million tonnes, while Aizawl was estimated at 4.004 million tonnes. Champhai recorded the lowest district-level growing stock at approximately 1.163 million tonnes.At the watershed level, the Tlawng watershed was projected to contain the highest growing stock at about 3.225 million tonnes, while Tiau recorded the lowest at about 0.148 million tonnes. Among forest divisions, Thenzawl showed the highest predicted stock at about 3.809 million tonnes.A key finding of this second phase is that extensive natural regeneration of bamboo occurred after flowering and seed fall, demonstrating considerable recovery potential. However, this regeneration remains highly vulnerable to shifting cultivation, forest fire and other biotic and abiotic disturbances. The report therefore emphasizes protection of young regenerating stands, systematic bamboo plantation, improved management and continued monitoring.Overall, the report establishes an important post-flowering baseline for Mizoram’s bamboo resources. Its updated maps, regeneration data and predicted growing-stock estimates provide essential information for bamboo rehabilitation, sustainable harvesting, plantation programmes, industrial raw-material planning and long-term resource monitoring. Importantly, the growing-stock figures represent predicted mature stock from regenerating bamboo, rather than the standing mature biomass present immediately after flowering. Summarized MetadataMapping Scale: 1:50,000 Satellite data & Year: IRS 1D LISS III (2008).Thematic sub-category: Forestry & EnvironmentCollaborating/Funding Agency: Environment & Forest Department, Government of Mizoram.Report Publication Month/Year: March, 2009