A Decade-Long Assessment of Water Quality Variability in the Yelek River Basin (Kazakhstan) Using Remote Sensing and GIS
Mussina A. Aktymbayeva A. Zhanabayeva Z. Mashtayeva S. Macklin M.G. Rysmagambetova A. Akhmetova R. Alimbay A.
November 2025Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Sustainability (Switzerland)
2025#17Issue 21
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.
GIS , hydrochemical indicators , remote sensing , seasonal variability , sustainable water management , water pollution index , water quality
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Geography and Environmental Sciences Faculty, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Lincoln Centre for Water and Planetary Health, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, LN6 7TS, United Kingdom
Geography and Environmental Sciences Faculty
Lincoln Centre for Water and Planetary Health
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