Tapi River Sustainability: Surat's Lifeline and Beyond

Analyzing river sustainability using satellite imagery and remote sensing techniques. This project assesses water turbidity, river width changes, and urban impact on river health, contributing to SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and other sustainability goals. 🚀🌊

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🌍 Google Earth Engine Script

View Google Earth Engine Script

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📌 Tapi River Insights: Sustainable Water Management

Project Overview

This repository contains the research work "Tapi River Sustainability: Surat's Lifeline and Beyond", conducted by students of M.Sc. (Applied Statistics) semester-4 at Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (V.N.S.G.U.), Surat, Gujarat.

Project Group:

• Trivedi Nirav
• Dekani Nikunjkumar
• Mayat Sadiya
• Rakholiya Dhruvi
• Sukla Atish

Project Guide: Sahil Merai
Project Year: 2023-24

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Introduction

This study utilizes satellite imagery to analyze the sustainability of the Tapi River, focusing on turbidity levels and river width changes. It contributes to:

• Goal 14 (Life Below Water)
• Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)
• Goal 15 (Life on Land)
• Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
• Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being)
• Goal 13 (Climate Action)

Understanding these dynamics aids in pollution control, urban planning, and conservation efforts for sustainable river management.

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Study Area: Tapi River, Surat City

Surat is a major commercial hub in Gujarat, where the Tapi River spans ~20 km. Remote sensing plays a vital role in tracking water quality and changes, supporting conservation efforts.

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📊 Research Methodology

Data Source: Sentinel-2 satellite imagery
Techniques:

• Normalized Difference Turbidity Index (NDTI): Assessing water quality
• Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI): Identifying water bodies
• Heatmap Analysis: Identifying high and low turbidity zones
• Historical Analysis: River width variations from 1987 to 2021

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🔍 Key Findings

1. Turbidity Trends (2019-2023)

• Highest turbidity at Dabholi Bridge (May 2023)
• Lowest turbidity at Dummas Road-2 (January 2023)
• Post-monsoon peaks (October-December), declines in winter & summer
• Stable zones: Kathor, Savji Korat Bridge
• Fluctuating zones: Amboli

NDTI Heatmap - Tapi River, Surat

Tapi-River Surat: High-Low NDTI Temporal Changes Before & After Causeway

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2. River Width Variability (1987-2021)

• Widest point: Jahangirpura (2002)
• Narrowest point: Gorat (2020)
• Stable areas: Kamrej, Rustombaug to Adajan Bridge
• Significant fluctuations: Jahangirpura, Variyav Bridge to Dabholi Bridge

Width Heatmap - Tapi River, Surat

Tapi-River Surat: Satellite Image River Change Trends from 1990 to 2023
Recent Observations: The Rundh area has seen a steady increase in width since 1987, whereas the Chowk-Bazar area has fluctuated but remained relatively constant.

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🌐 SDG Alignment

• Goal 14: Monitoring water quality and pollution control
• Goal 11: Sustainable urban planning along the river
• Goal 15: Biodiversity conservation and ecosystem health
• Goal 6: Ensuring clean water supply
• Goal 3: Reducing health risks linked to water pollution
• Goal 13: Adapting to climate-driven river changes

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Policy Recommendations

• Integrated River Management: Combining pollution control and urban planning
• Stricter Water Quality Standards: Regular monitoring and enforcement
• Sustainable Riverfront Development: Eco-friendly urban infrastructure
• Public Awareness: Educating communities on river conservation
• Remote Sensing-Based Decision Making: Using real-time data for policy action

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Future Work & Recommendations

• Long-Term Monitoring: Continuous tracking of river width and turbidity
• Expanded Water Quality Assessments: Identifying pollution hotspots
• IoT-Based Monitoring: Deploying sensors for real-time data collection
• Sustainable Urban Development: Enhancing green infrastructure along stable riverfront areas

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✅ Conclusion

The research highlights the critical need for sustainable water management using remote sensing. Surat must prioritize water conservation efforts, strict pollution controls, and data-driven policy-making to ensure the Tapi River’s long-term health.

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Repository Contents

Project Documents

• SDG - 14 Life Below Water
• Executive Summary of SDG-14 Life Below Water

Analysis Workflow

• River Health Insights Analysis Workflow

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Images and Data Visualizations

Tapi-Surat : Turbidity Visualization NDTI (Oct 2019 - Dec 2023 : Clean Image Only)

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Tapi-Surat : River Width Change Trends from 1990 to 2023

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Tools Used

Google Earth Engine

Python

JavaScript

Excel

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🙌 Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank our project guide Mr. Sahil Merai for his valuable guidance and support throughout the project.

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📬 Contact

If you found this project insightful or have suggestions, feel free to connect or share feedback.

📧 Email: niravtrivedi069@gmail.com
🔗 GitHub: @niravtrivedi23
🔗 LinkedIn: Trivedi Nirav

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🌍 Final Note

Join us in sustainable water research using remote sensing and data analytics! 🚀🌊