Evaluating and Predicting Changes Occurring on the Coastlines of Jeddah City Using Satellite Images

Abstract

The current study highlights the usefulness of satellite images in monitoring and predicting changes occurring on shorelines through a bi-dimensional strategy—data based and situational based. Three coastal areas of Jeddah city were selected as the study areas: Salman Bay, Sharm Abhar and Jeddah Port. For the data-based dimension, data collected through satellite images were used in the analysis covering the period from 1972 to 2016. Four regression models were used to study the variation in the coastal borders of the study area. Predictions for the next 9 years, i.e., up to 2025, were carried out using the four regression models. The results revealed that an area reduction has been witnessed in all the areas under study. Another fact that came to the limelight is the proximity of the objective results with the expectations of experts, thus providing credence to the appropriateness of employed statistical models. For situational-based dimension effects, various anthropogenic activities and geo-environmental natural processes in the study area were identified. Based on the findings of the study, continuous monitoring of the coastal areas is suggested along with maintaining a concrete database. The proposed techniques can be extended to study coastal reduction and extension in other regions as well.