Monitoring Water Surface Area and Land Cover Change by using Landsat Imagery for Aslanta？ Dam Lake and Its Vicinity

Satellite-derived vegetation indexes have been widely used in monitoring and evaluation of wetland ecosystems. Despite the fact that there are various high-resolution satellite imagery, Landsat data have significant advantages in monitoring and evaluating long-term land changes. This study aims to mapping of Aslanta？ Dam Lake using satellite imagery and evaluating spatio-temporal changes. In this study, spectral bands of Landsat 4, 5, 7 and 8 images, which belong to June 2000 and July 1989, 2010 and 2017 were used. Spatial changes are shown by using band ratio approaches using Landsat images. Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were applied by using ―Image analysis‖ function of ArcGIS 10 software. Long-term satellite images were processed, classified and compared to evaluate the surface area of the reservoir change and water-plant interactions. As a result, the lowest and highest water body surface area was detected in 1989 and 2000 years, respectively. Trend-based change analysis of water body surface by using MNDWI and NDVI showed similarity but the calculated land cover areas showed differences. Remote sensing has still appropriate potential to establish reliable data for the decision makers during the ecosystem-based planning stages between water and forest interactions