Water volume variations estimation using satellite data: A case study of Sawa Lake, Iraq

The drop in the water level that occurred in Sawa Lake, in southwestern Iraq, has recently become an important issue for the local government and the community surrounding the lake. Climate factors also have a significant impact, especially in harsh conditions. This research aims to consider the relationship between precipitation, drought conditions and declining underground water resources within the region with changing the water level in lake area. Monitoring the dynamics of the surface water level and the area of Lake Sawa through remote sensing control by using Landsat images can be analyzed to be more effective and efficient. Landsat retrieval images were taken in the range of 2010-2022, then the years in which climate change conditions occurred were determined. The results showed that the year 2010 the water area is 4.68km2, the water surface area decreased to 4.06 km2 in 2019, but in 2020 when the rainfall decrease to 120mm and the number of drilled wells increased to 2000 the water surface area decreased to 3.321 km2. The year 2022 it's a drought year for the second consecutive time, the rainfall is 30mm it have a significant impact on the Lake area and has affected on the water level and the Lake water area decrease to 0.001km2,it remains only the springs that nourish Sawa lake.