Monitoring the natural and anthropogenic environmental changes in the Kızılırmak Delta using remote sensing methods over the last 10 years

Wetlands are dynamic ecosystems where land and water environments intersect, playing a vital role in maintaining ecological balance. These areas are critical for the conservation of biodiversity and regulation of water regime. The Kızılırmak Delta, is recognized as a wetland complex consisting of rivers, lakes, swamps, coastal, and marine regions is recognized as one of the "Strictly Protected Areas" and listed on the UNESCO “World Heritage Tentative List” due to the presence of wetlands and its significance as a crucial bird migration route. 

The Holocene evolution of the Kızılırmak Delta (Northern Türkiye) is controlled by accumulation and alongshore transportation of sediment flux by the largest river of Anatolia draining to the Black Sea. The distinct successive beach ridges (~2 km length) formed along the eastern part of the delta (north and east) form the geomorphological boundaries of the wetland systems. The formation of these beach ridges reflects the variations of sediment influx, alongshore transport, and coastal dynamics. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating revealed that the formation of the beach-ridge system initiated during the last millennium.

Since the mid-20th century, a dense network of drainage canals (~1400 km) have been constructed to drain the delta for agricultural purposes. The successive construction of large-scale dams along the river have caused interconnected issues, such as decrease of sediment flux and negative balance underground water table of the delta. 

In this regard, we have conducted an analysis of wetland changes over the past 10 years, during which climate change and anthropogenic impacts have been heavily observed. Sentinel-2 imagery (#92) and meteorological data (daily) were used to classify, map and understand the spatiotemporal hydrological dynamics of the wetlands and anthropogenic control. The present study aims to contribute to the analysis of the geomorphological development and evolution of the delta and its recent hydrological dynamics.