Assessing Boundary Shifts at Gölcük Lake (Kütahya) with Google Earth Images

Authors : Enes Zengin, Recep Uğur Acar, Ali Samet Öngen
Pages : 946-955
Doi:10.35414/akufemubid.1579340
View : 64 | Download : 93
Publication Date : 2025-08-04
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the world today, with far-reaching impacts on ecosystems, human health, and global economies. It is characterized by significant alterations in temperature, precipitation patterns, and the frequency of extreme weather events, largely driven by human activities such as deforestation, industrial emissions, and the intense use of fossil fuels. United Nations has introduced a collective approach through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 global goals adopted in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. For this purpose, the boundary shifts of Gölcük lake in Simav, Kütahya, Türkiye, were examined using high-resolution Google Earth images from 2013 and 2023. Supervised classification techniques in ArcGIS Pro were applied to analyze changes in the lake\\\'s area over a decade marked by significant climate variability. The use of spatial data and geographic information system (GIS) methods allowed for precise measurement and visualization of these changes, proving highly useful for assessing the extent and impact of lake shrinkage. The findings reveal a 22.7% reduction in lake area, equating to approximately 32,279 m², indicating a notable shrinkage likely influenced by environmental factors. Temperature and precipitation data, obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate and the Turkish State Meteorological Service, were also assessed. The data showed an increase in average temperature from 11.5°C to 13°C and a slight decrease in precipitation over the period, suggesting potential contributions from climate change to the lake\\\'s shrinkage. These results underscore the importance of ongoing monitoring and sustainable management to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on freshwater resources.
Keywords : Sınır değişimi, iklim değişikliği, Gölcük gölü, Kütahya, Coğrafi bilgi sistemleri

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