Remote Sensing Upon Tracking Changes in the Water Sufrace Area of Belmeken Dam

Abstract

Determining the characteristic volumes in a water reservoir contributes to the correct use of its water potential, nevertheless it is used for irrigation, water supply or for power generation. The introduction of new technologies and methods for tracking changes in water areas during the operation of hydrotechnical facilities has been a topical subject in recent decades. The present survey investigates the possibilities of using remote sensing data to track the changes of water areas in the reservoir lake of the Belmeken dam. We have applied a common remote sensing index (NDWI) for a five- year period (2018-2022) to analyze possible changes in water areas/water surface. The results show that the application of satellite data, specifically the NDWI index, that are compatible with the volumes measured for the same period in the dam, that are calculated by the balance method, could contributes to up-to-date information on the water volumes formed in the reservoir of Belmeken dam. The research can facilitate the process for determining the water volumes in Belmeken dam and support decision-makers and responsible institutions in the management of the water volumes during the dam’s reservoir operation.