Water Quality Monitoring of Tigris and Euphrates Basin by Using Geographic Weighted Regression (GWR)
Waleed Mohammed Abdulwahid
Department of Remote Sensing and GIS, Iraqi State Commission for Survey, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
Abolfazl Ghanbari *
Department of Remote Sensing and GIS, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Water is a vital resource required for agriculture, industry, ecosystems and human life. However, Iraq faces severe water quality challenges due to pollution. Climate change urbanization and agricultural runoff which affected the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This study uses geospatial tools for remote sensing. Including salinity, turbidity, soil pH, nitrogen data from Landsat 8, Sentinel-5P and other sources. Used to assess important water quality indicators. Including oxide (NO2) levels and chlorophyll concentrations. Areas at danger of eutrophication were indicated by amounts of chlorophyll, which is a measure of phytoplankton levels. Measurements of soil pH also revealed changes that can impact water chemistry and nutrient availability. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) divides water quality into five risk levels from very low to very high. The findings revealed significant regional variation, namely downstream areas having high salinity levels. Meanwhile, turbidity measurements showed sediment accumulation in the central highlands. Areas with intense agricultural and industrial activity have increased. NO2 concentrations, signaling the point of pollution. Chlorophyll data points to risk of eutrophication in still waters. Variations in soil pH also affect nutrient availability and water chemistry. Affecting the aquatic ecosystem The study identifies high-risk areas that require immediate water management intervention. It provides important insights for developing a sustainable water resources strategy in Iraq.
Keywords: Natural resources, water quality, GWR, marine water, geographic information system