Land use change data of the Yalong River Basin (1986 - 2021)

Vegetation, a key indicator of watershed health, is increasingly degraded due to the compounded effects of cascade dam construction, particularly in mountainous regions. This study examines vegetation dynamics within the Reservoir–Hydropower Impact Zone (RHIZ) of the lower Yalong River. RHIZ is a three-dimensional analysis framework, defined by a 5 km horizontal buffer along the river centerline, longitudinal extension between adjacent dam backwater zones, and a vertical range of 2 km in elevation. Remote sensing and machine learning techniques are used to analyze land use changes from 1986 to 2021, focusing on vegetation (forest, grassland, and farmland).