A Decade-Long Assessment of Water Quality Variability in the Yelek River Basin (Kazakhstan) Using Remote Sensing and GIS

Ainur Mussina, Aliya Aktymbayeva, Zhanara Zhanabayeva (), Shamshagul Mashtayeva, Mark G. Macklin, Aina Rysmagambetova, Raibanu Akhmetova and Almas Alimbay ()
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Ainur Mussina: Geography and Environmental Sciences Faculty, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
Aliya Aktymbayeva: Geography and Environmental Sciences Faculty, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
Zhanara Zhanabayeva: Geography and Environmental Sciences Faculty, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
Shamshagul Mashtayeva: Geography and Environmental Sciences Faculty, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
Mark G. Macklin: Lincoln Centre for Water and Planetary Health, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK
Aina Rysmagambetova: Geography and Environmental Sciences Faculty, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
Raibanu Akhmetova: Geography and Environmental Sciences Faculty, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
Almas Alimbay: Geography and Environmental Sciences Faculty, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-30

Abstract: This study investigates the seasonal variability of water quality in the Yelek River Basin, Western Kazakhstan, using data from 2010 to 2025 that combine remote sensing, GIS, and hydrochemical monitoring data. This research addresses growing pressures on river systems from both natural and anthropogenic factors. Archival records from Kazhydromet and recent field measurements were analysed for dissolved oxygen, total suspended solids (TSSs), and total dissolved solids (TDSs), while satellite indices (NDWI, NDTI) provided spatiotemporal insights into turbidity. The results show clear seasonal contrasts: total suspended solids and turbidity rise sharply during spring floods due to snowmelt and erosion; water quality declines during summer–autumn low-flow periods under intensified human influence; and partial recovery occurs in winter when ice cover stabilises flow. Dissolved oxygen consistently indicates moderate pollution, while total dissolved solids (TDSs) remains within the “clean” range. Integration of satellite data with field observations enabled the development of a turbidity model and highlighted the lower river reaches as most vulnerable, where total suspended solids exceeded permissible limits. The findings confirm the value of combining remote sensing and GIS with traditional monitoring to capture long-term river water dynamics. This approach offers practical tools for sustainable water management, informs regional environmental policies, and provides transferable insights for semi-arid transboundary basins in Central Asia.

Keywords: water quality; seasonal variability; water pollution index; remote sensing; GIS; hydrochemical indicators; sustainable water management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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