Investigation of Hydrological and Hydrogeological Parameters’ Alterations in Rapidly Urbanized Regions: Bornova Case (İZmi̇R, Türki̇Ye)

Abstract

One of the most important factors affecting the utilization of land and water is urbanization. Understanding urbanization and its effects on ground systems became more important as the world's population increased and climate changed. The Bornova Region, located in İzmir, Türkiye, which was once used as farmland, is the subject of this study. After the settlement started to happen, excessive urbanization reduced the plain's surface area's permeability as a result of the built-in structures, paved roads, and other surface coverings. GIS-based hydrological models were used to examine the effects of land-use and land cover changes on the Bornova Plain's aquifers over two distinct periods (2004 and 2020). These scenarios were created with ArcSWAT for this work. Using SWAT models, components of the water budget equation were established. The SWAT Models demonstrated that, between 2004 and 2020, the ratios of recharge to precipitation, streamflow to precipitation, and baseflow to total flow decreased by 52%, 26.09%, and 11.86%, respectively, while the ratios of surface runoff to total flow and evapotranspiration to precipitation increased by 20.59% and 15.09%, respectively.