The Study Of The Surface Area Change Of Lake Al-Razzaza UsingGeographic Information System (GIS) And Using Remote SensingTechnology

Abstract

Al-Razzaza, the second largest lake in Iraq and wider lower lakes being created
at estimated surface area of 1810 km2 and is one of the important sources of wealth
of fish, also; It described as being a blue dot surrounded by desert. Started the water
level in the lake to decline starting from the eighties and became this decline
accelerated since 1990 due to climate change and rising atmospheric temperature
and evaporation process continuing and inadequate water contained the lake to
compensate for the shortfall and also because of low water levels in the Euphrates
River, which is one of the most important source the waters of the lake, all this led to
a decrease in the water level and the surface area and increasing salinity of soil that
threatened a real disaster for the lake. This study employed both remote sensing and
geographic information systems to estimate the change in the ratio of the surface
area to Al-Razzaza lake, starting from 1990 up to the year 2012. In addition,
chromatic classified maps show the changes during that period of time based on
satellite scenes of the Landsat ETM+, and Google Earth scene after registration
process was made based on Landsat ETM+ image. Also, we present a table that
clarifies the percentage of change of surface areas for above period of time that
followed in 1990. Then we represent such a change through a graph gives an idea
of the great loss suffered by this lake. Also, this graph gives an impression about
what the lake shape will be in subsequent years. The results showed that the
percentage change was significant during this period, such that the decreased surface
area was from 1621 km2 in 1990 to 270 km2 in 2012.