Spatiotemporal monitoring of climate change impacts on water resources using an integrated approach of remote sensing and Google Earth Engine

Mohammad Kazemi Garajeh; Fatemeh Haji; Mahsa Tohidfar; Amin Sadeqi; Reyhaneh Ahmadi; Narges Kariminejad

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-56160-9

Spatiotemporal monitoring of climate change impacts on water resources using an integrated approach of remote sensing and Google Earth Engine

Sci Rep. 2024 Mar 5;14(1):5469. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-56160-9.

Authors

Mohammad Kazemi Garajeh^{1

2}, Fatemeh Haji³, Mahsa Tohidfar⁴, Amin Sadeqi⁵, Reyhaneh Ahmadi⁶, Narges Kariminejad⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Civil, Constructional and Environmental Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy. kazemi20.0432@gmail.com.
² School of Engineering, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Via Nazario Sauro 85, 85100, Potenza, Italy. kazemi20.0432@gmail.com.
³ Department of Earth Sciences, Remote Sensing and GIS, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
⁴ Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.
⁵ Department of Geography and Geology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.
⁶ Department of Regional and City Planning, Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture, University of Oklahoma, Norman, USA.
⁷ Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

Abstract

In this study, a data-driven approach employed by utilizing the product called JRC-Global surface water mapping layers V1.4 on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) to map and monitor the effects of climate change on surface water resources. Key climatic variables affecting water bodies, including air temperature (AT), actual evapotranspiration (ETa), and total precipitation, were analyzed from 2000 to 2021 using the temperature-vegetation index (TVX) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) products. The findings demonstrate a clear association between global warming and the shrinking of surface water resources in the LUB. According to the results, an increase in AT corresponded to a decrease in water surface area, highlighting the significant influence of AT and ETa on controlling the water surface in the LUB (partial rho of - 0.65 and - 0.68, respectively). Conversely, no significant relationship was found with precipitation and water surface area (partial rho of + 0.25). Notably, the results of the study indicate that over the past four decades, approximately 40% of the water bodies in the LUB remained permanent. This suggests a loss of around 30% of the permanent water resources, which have transitioned into seasonal water bodies, accounting for nearly 13% of the total. This research provides a comprehensive framework for monitoring surface water resource variations and assessing the impact of climate change on water resources. It aids in the development of sustainable water management strategies and plans, supporting the preservation and effective use of water resources.

Keywords: Climate change; Google Earth Engine; Remote sensing; Time series analysis; Water resources.