The use of multi-temporal and multispectral LANDSAT data to determine change detection around Tuz Lake on Seyhan delta

Abstract

The Tuz lake and Seyhan river mouth and related coastal areas have been subject to important changes in the years 1972 and 2000. Three LANDSAT multispectral scanners (MSS), Thematic Mapper (TM) and enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM), images captured in 1972, 1987 and 2000, respectively, were used in this study. To delineate the interchange zone, as well as land and water area, an unsupervised classification technique (ISODATA) was applied. It was observed that there were important changes in the area of Lake Tuz, Seyhan river mouth, shoreline, coastal sand dunes, pastures, vegetation, barren land, swamps and agricultural areas. The intensive agricultural activities and two dams built on the river Seyhan as well as the coastal sea currents are the most important factors responsible for this change. The changes involved accretion and erosion processes which possibly are related directly with the human alterations. Most of the changes occurred as a result. of transformation of different terrains, such as pasture, sand dunes, bare lands, swamp, shrublands into agricultural areas.