Detecting environmental change of Shadegan international wetland using remote sensing and WRASTIC index (Case study: Shadegan international wetland)

Subject Areas : Geospatial systems development

Leila Rahimi Blouchi ¹ , Azadeh Zarkar ² , Bahram Malekmohammadi ³

1 - MSc. Graduated of Environmental Planning and Management, College of Environment, University of Tehran
2 - MSc. Graduated of Environmental Planning and Management, College of Environment, University of Tehran
3 - Assis. Prof. College of Environment, University of Tehran

Received: 2013-08-19 Accepted : 2014-04-21 Published : 2014-08-23

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Abstract :

The goal of this paper is reviewing and comparing of Shadegan international wetland changes during last two decades. To achieve this goal, the trend of changes in Shadegan international wetland and the relative consequences were examined by supervised classification of LandSat satellite images. For this purpose, maximum likelihood algorithm, in ENVI®4.8 software was utilized during 20 years period (1990-2011). WRASTIC index, one of the existing methods for evaluating risk and vulnerability of the surface water, was used for finding inflow water quality to the wetland. Results of this study show six percent decrease in area of Shadegan wetland during these years, about 1796.61 Km2 (25.71%) declination in water and soil areas, and by 1796.76 (9%) increase in the total area of vegetation cover. Growing vegetation cover denotes water pollution, eutrophication, and early devastation of this international wetland. A result of calculation WRASTIC index showed that wetland basin components have the great impact on pollution of inflow water to wetland. Continuing of this trend, make irreparable effects on this existence and integrity of this wetland.