Water Resources Development Planning Research Articles

Remote Sensing and GIS Aided Land and Water Management Plan Preparation of Watershed - A Case Study

Remote Sensing and GIS techniques were applied for the integrated watershed planning of Bajpur watershed in Khurda sadar block of Khurda district (Orissa). IRS ID, LISS III F.c.c. satellite images and toposheet number 73H/12 together with verification were used as the data source. Thematic maps like land use/ land cover map, hydrogeomorphology map, soil map, slope map, drainage and surface water body maps were prepared by using both satellite imageries and survey ofIndia toposheet. By integrating all these maps in GIS, water and land resource management plans were developed. The water resources development plan indicates the sites for groundwater exploitation and sites for surface water development including sites for different soil and water conservation structures. Eleven action items were suggested under land resource action plan with specific sites, aerial locations and maps. Thus remote sensing technology demonstrates the usefulness for providing up-to-date, reliable and accurate information on different natural resources of the watershed which is a pre-requisite for an integrated approach to identify the suitable sites for water harvesting structures, check dams, farm ponds, percolation tanks, nala bunds etc. The GIS technique is helpful to integrate the information into a composite land unit development map to generate alternate land use system for sustainable development of the watershed.

Geospatial Tool-Based Geomorphological Mapping of The Lower Kulsi Basin, India

Detailed geomorphological map of a region provides necessary information on landforms to understand the variations of surface and subsurface processes. Geomorphological maps prepared based on a combined geospatial and field-observation approach are preliminary data for precise, prompt, and efficient watershed-level planning. The Kulsi is a significant left-bank tributary of the Brahmaputra. It has potential for agricultural, land, and water resources, but the region needs to catch up due to frequent climatic-geomorphic hazards. Therefore, this article aims to prepare an object-oriented detailed geomorphological map using geospatial tools. High-resolution satellite images and a digital elevation model were used to generate the detailed geomorphological map of the studied area. The resultant map is verified with extensive fieldwork. The investigated basin is characterized by structural and denudation hills, anthropogenetic escarpment; pediment plain, older and young alluvial plain; active and older flood plain; islands and sandbar deposits, and highly sinuous river and natural and artificial surface waterbodies. The research can contribute to local governments' and communities' land and water resource development plans. Keywords: geomorphology, morphometry, satellite image, Geographic Information System

​Development of Watershed Programme for Environment and Agriculture Sustainability in SAT Region, Central India

Background: Study has been undertaken in SAT (Semi-arid tropics) region located between 23o 8'- 26o 30' latitude and 78o11'- 81o30' longitude with an altitude varying from 230 to 280 m above mean sea level (MSL), Central India for assessing the impact after interventions of natural resource management (NRM) under watershed development programme. Agricultural productivity of Semi-arid tropics oscillates between 0.5 and 2.0 ton ha-1 with an average of one ton per ha (Rockstrom et al., 2010; Wani et al., 2011a, 2011b). The main objectives of this study are to establish agroforestry based crop cultivation which provides nutritional food as well as transform the mankind’s living status and also supports the doubling farmer’s income goal without associated ecological harm. Methods: To evaluate the economic feasibility and crop productivity along with agroforestry was worked out on the basis of survey and sampling. To get uniform samples of crops from cultivated fields some specific area selected (1 m x 1 m size) and get about 80 crop samples for measurements from whole watershed. All data has been collected through survey of 40% households of watershed and then all these data subjected to statistical analysis in the laboratory. To minimize the problem and rejuvenate the water body, water resource development plan helps in identify the available sources so that appropriate and effective with durable solutions can be formulated. The net return of crop cultivated was calculated by subtracting the cost of cultivation incurred from sowing to harvesting, for each crop from the gross return and then benefit-cost ratio was estimated for further improvement or scaled up and livelihood security of former. Result: The study has revealed that after watershed interventions and agroforestry based Crop cultivation, water level increased 2-6 m, crop production increased by 45-47%, cropping intensity increased 97-98% from 44-46% and migration decreased by 70-72%. During both season, the expenses on irrigation and labour will decrease, crop productivity will improve and benefit-cost ratio increased. Nutrition based food production provided the base for food security as it is a key determination of food availability.

Impact of water resource development plan on water abstraction and water balance of Lake Ziway, Ethiopia

Lake Ziway is providing water for a wide variety of sectors in the central rift valley of Ethiopia. However, there is a lack of systematic study that informs the effect of water abstraction on the lake water balance. In the present study, we conducted a Water Abstraction Survey (WAS) to estimate actual water withdrawal from the lake and developed a water balance model of the lake to evaluate the associated impact on the lake water storage and outflow for three development plans. The mean error and root mean square error of the simulated lake water level as compared with observed counterparts were estimated as 0.1 and 0.2 m, respectively, which is smaller than the range of the observed fluctuation of the lake water level under natural condition. Our findings indicate that the actual storage and outflow of Lake Ziway are significantly impacted by the existing water withdrawal. When the future development plans are fully implemented, the annual amount of irrigation and domestic water withdrawal from the lake will reach 95 Mm3. This will cause the lake water level to drop by 0.94 m, which translates to 38 km2 reductions in the lake surface area. Consequently, the lake will lose 26.5% of its actual storage volume when the future development plan (2029–2038) is implemented as compared to the observed storage between 1986 and 2000. Hence, the current impact of water resources development around the lake is substantially large and will exacerbate in the future. This indicates the need for urgent actions to monitor and manage water abstraction from the lake.

Modeling Long-Term Water Allocation and Analysis of Alternative Strategic Scenarios in the Catchment Area of Bilate River, Rift Valley Lakes Basin, Ethiopia

A water shortage stress might have resulted from the extensive water resources development plan in the Bilate catchment owing to the rapidly growing population, irrigation development expansion, climatic variability, and socioeconomic development. Furthermore, the lack of sufficient knowledge about available water resources and lack of coordination in water resources management skills in the basin often aggravates the competition of fixed waterresources among the users. Therefore, modeling long-term water allocation should be implemented to determine the optimal allocation of water resources, maximize the overall benefits without compromising ecological requirements, and propose mitigation measures that may alleviate the problem of water scarcity during peak demand periods. The Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model is generally used in the formulation and evaluation of alternative plansfor responding to water-related problems and water resources developments. To assist in the assessment of spatialtemporal streamflow simulations within watersheds, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) employed in the Bilate River and its sub-catchments. The Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) and CROPWAT 8.0 software programs were used to estimate streamflow requirement (IFR) and the crop water requirement, respectively. Three development scenarios include the agricultural and socio-economic development effect, climatic change, and alternatives that were built in the long-term planning horizons (2013-2050). The modeling water allocation for each sub-catchment was done by considering the Ethiopian water allocation and apportionment criteria and water act priority order. The result revealed that agriculture growth (increasing irrigation projects) and socio-economic development caused a significant increase in water demand. Hence unmet water demands in different parts of the catchments were increased. Similarly, the effect of climatic variation scenarios has been increased unmet demands in the middle year of the planning horizon(2030-2050). Therefore, developing adaptation strategies scenarios helps to mitigate water scarcity and improve water availability for productive use.

Impact of Climate Change on Land Suitability for the Optimization of the Irrigation System in the Anger River Basin, Ethiopia

Evaluating climate change impacts and the suitability of potential land resources is crucial for sustainable irrigated agricultural systems. This study applied a multi-criteria analysis supported by the Geographic Information System (GIS) application to produce irrigation suitability maps for the Anger River basin’s (Ethiopia) irrigation command area to optimize its irrigation system. Six irrigation suitability factors, such as distance to water sources (rivers), slope, land use/land cover, soil texture, drainage, and depth, including climate change impacts, were used. These factors were spatially analyzed using a comparison matrix and overlying the factors with 30 m resolutions to estimate the potential irrigable area. About 40% of the study area was classified as moderately to highly suitable for surface water irrigation systems. Moreover, we found that a large proportion of the study area is suitable for surface irrigation system, suggesting the relevance of implementing an enhanced irrigation system for improving the surface irrigation water productivity of the basin. However, future climate change is predicted to negatively affect the irrigation suitable area due to water scarcity. Therefore, this study provides useful information on the irrigation suitability and potential of the study area that could be used to facilitate the water resource development and food security plans.

Curve Number Method to Determine the Runoff Height in the Upper Cimanuk Watershed

Run off is one of the most important hydrological variables in supporting water resources development planning and activities. To predict the amount of runoff can be done in various ways one of them with the SCS-CN method. The SCS method was developed from years of rainfall observation and involved many agricultural areas in the United States. This method seeks to link watershed characteristics such as soil, vegetation, and land use with a runoff curve number which indicates the potential runoff water for a particular rainfall. The location of this research is Garut Regency, upstream of the Cimanuk river, which often floods every year due to overflowing of the Cimanuk River. Data used to determine CN values and runoff height are Digital Elevation Model (DEM), land use, soil, and rainfall data for the last 10 years, from 2009 to 2018, then the maps are processed using the Arc-Map program. From the analysis it can be seen that the CN value is 66.54%, and the runoff height is 1.17 cm with a 2 year return period, and 2.84 cm at 25 return period. Based on the CN value, it is known that the type of soil in the upstream Cimanuk watershed has a small infiltration rate and has bad properties in infiltrating water, so that it can cause run off for a long time, because the smaller CN value on a land use, so soil’s retention ability is greater and the less chance of runoff. The results of this study can be used for planning flood control buildings in the upper Cimanuk watershed.

Risk Assessment of Water Resources Development Plans Using Fuzzy Fault Tree Analysis

Water resources development plans (WRDPs) is a key element of evaluation for sustainable water supply due to growing needs for adequate and reliable water resources in the human communities by different biodiversity. The development plans should be assessed considering social, economic, and environmental aspects as the criteria of sustainable development and then the risk assessment of the plans should be carried out using the criteria. In this paper, for the first time, risk-based assessment of WRDPs were carried out under the sustainable development framework using Fuzzy Fault Tree Analysis (FFTA). The failure of the plans was considered as the top event based on sustainable development criteria in this approach and then the factors leading to failure occurrence including social, economic, environmental, and water resources failure indices were identified as 14 basic events (BE) through a top-down process in Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). The case study was the water supply system using conventional and non-conventional water resources for Homozgan province in South of Iran. The water resources development plans were evaluated in a model applying two different approaches of crisp and fuzzy for zone number 4 of Makran coastal area and Bandar Abbas city where play significant role in the economic growth of the country. In the both approaches, the failure probability were 38%, 90%, and 50% for the best, worst, and current situation Scenarios, respectively. Taking into account the high computed risk value in the both crisp and fuzzy approaches, the basic events were ranked based on their contribution in the occurrence of the top event. The proposed approach not only addresses the risk of WRDPs in compliance with sustainable development objectives but also facilitates decision-making for the risk management by prioritizing the factors in the failure of plans.

Promoting artificial recharge to enhance groundwater potential in thelower Bhavani River basin of South India using geospatial techniques.

The artificial recharge is an alternative technique to augment surface water and groundwater and for providing continuous supply of water to the demand regions. The scope of contemporary study helps in evaluation of groundwater potential zones and to find proper zones and sites for groundwater recharge using geospatial and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques. In this study, the pragmatic methodology was proposed for the implementation of water harvesting structures. The satellite and conventional datasets with field inferences were systematically processed to obtain various thematic information of the study area. The analytical hierarchical process (AHP) in geographical information system (GIS) was utilized to assign the geometric mean and the normalized weight for the individual features. Further, groundwater potential zones were identified, and they were categorized into four types viz. very high (523.58km2), high (798.22km2), moderate (646.04km2) and low (456.66km2). Nearly, 54.52% of the study area falls in the 'very high' to 'high' potential categories. The GIS-based Boolean logical method was also executed to identify suitable areas for creating recharge structures such as check dams (127.47km2), percolation ponds (115.23km2), flood and furrows (63.01km2) and ditch and furrows (1046.31km2). Based on the above results, 36 water harvesting structures were promoted to augment the groundwater resources of the basin. The highest priority was given to check dams (19 Nos), followed by percolation ponds (7 Nos), flood and furrows (5 Nos) and ditch and furrows (5 Nos). The suggested structures would improve the groundwater availability for agriculture and domestic purposes in the study area. Further, the outcomes could deliver a scientific procedure to the decision makers and water scientists for effective water resources development and management planning. Overall, the integrated remote sensing, GIS and MCDA methods are an efficient and useful tool for planning and improving groundwater recharge in the basin scale.

Targeting Small-Scale Irrigation Investments using Agent-Based Modeling: Case Studies in Mali and Niger

Small-scale irrigation has been identified as a potential adaptation strategy for climate change and boosting food security and livelihoods in dry regions. This study presents the analysis of the potential adoption of small-scale irrigation in two West African countries (Mali and Niger) by using a spatially explicit analytical framework. It underscores the need for strategically investing in the management of ground and surface water resources for the development of small-scale irrigation systems in the two countries. The study implemented an agent-based modeling technique to simulate small-scale irrigation decisions at the district and national level. The results revealed that, while small-scale irrigation can increase crop productivity in both countries, its adoption may be constrained by water scarcity and tensions in water allocation. Strategic water resource development plans should be established to ensure efficient and sustainable irrigation schemes, especially for areas with high potential profitability.

Application of web enabled open source geospatial technologies in generation of water resource development plan

Sustainable planning and management of water resources is necessary, as water is essential for food security, industrial production and sustaining ecosystems as well as socio-development of a country. Geospatial technologies are successfully employed in the field of hydrology for planning and management. However, the implementation of these technologies is restricted because of non-availability of necessary data, processing knowledge as well as software and hardware infrastructures in time. Hence, in this study, a web enabled customised geographic information system (GIS) is developed using open source geospatial tools to generate water resource development (WRD) plans for non-GIS professionals. The application was demonstrated by considering the spatial layers pertaining to three districts of Jharkhand state, India. The tool takes the area of interest as an input from the user and analyses the data to produce WRD action plans. Plans include identifying suitable zones for artificial recharge that makes watershed management simpler and more effective.

Is observation uncertainty masking the signal of land use change impacts on hydrology?

Analysis of hydrological impacts of land use change raises questions about whether, and how much, such impacts are misrepresented because of errors in river flow observations. In this paper, land use change impacts (represented by changes in watershed storage) and different ranges of discharge measurement error are compared to assess how errors in discharge measurement can potentially mask a land use change impact. Using a watershed from the Ethiopian highlands to exemplify this, we simulated five different levels of land use change impacts with five levels of watershed storage reductions (from 10% to 50% change) and the associated time series of runoff. Different levels of observation error were then introduced into these artificial time series. Comparison was made between every pair, i.e. a time series derived from a certain level of land use change (storage reduction) versus a time series corresponding to a given level of observation error, using a step-change t-test. Significant step-changes between pairs define the detectability of land use change impact. The analysis was made for the entire 30-year time series as well as for the most extreme annual weather conditions. The results showed that for the average year and wettest year, 75% or more error in observed discharge masks the maximum simulated land use change impact on hydrology. In dry years, a 50% error in discharge is enough to mask the same impact. Knowing (and improving) the level of data quality contributes to a better understanding of hydrological uncertainties and improves the precision in assessing land use change impacts. Both of these are essential elements in water resources development planning.

IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL SITES FOR WATER HARVESTING STRUCTURES USING GEOSPATIAL TECHNIQUES AND MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS

Abstract. Changing hydrological phenomenon and increase the water demand in all sectors create a huge problem of water scarcity. Precipitation is one and only major source to mitigate this problem. In Central India, the average annual precipitation is sufficient in most of the part but not capable to harvest and utilize during the summer season. Identification of suitable site for water harvesting structures plays a key role to enhance the water level for watershed management. In the present study, suitable sites have been demarcated to build up a water resource development plan in Mandri river watershed of Kanker district, Chhattisgarh using Remote Sensing and GIS techniques. Basic guidelines of Integrated Mission for Sustainable Development (IMSD) have been used for identifying the suitable sites for water harvesting structures. Remote Sensing and GIS are used for site suitability analysis of water harvesting structure to extract the information of various features such as lineament, land use/land cover, soil, slope, lithology, geomorphology, drainage order, rainfall etc. In order of importance, we have assigned weights to each feature. Slope and design discharge are key parameters in site suitability analysis, so that we assigned maximum weight to this parameters. A possible site suitability map for water harvesting/conservation structures was derived following an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). This work attempts to identify the probable zone for water harvesting structures such as boulder check/gabion, gully plug/bori bandhan, check dams and stop dams. Multi-criteria analysis is applied in GIS to assist the decision-makers in determining appropriate zones for water harvesting structures in view of external characteristics of the watershed. Further, using weighted overlay method, the catchment was grouped into categories of suitable or highly suitable.

Water resource development plan for Dindori : A tribal district

Water resource development plan for Dindori : A tribal district

Water Resource Development Plan for Rural Development A Geospatial Solution

International Journal of Computer Sciences and Engineering (A UGC Approved and indexed with DOI, ICI and Approved, DPI Digital Library) is one of the leading and growing open access, peer-reviewed, monthly, and scientific research journal for scientists, engineers, research scholars, and academicians, which gains a foothold in Asia and opens to the world, aims to publish original, theoretical and practical advances in Computer Science,Information Technology, Engineering (Software, Mechanical, Civil, Electronics & Electrical), and all interdisciplinary streams of Computing Sciences. It intends to disseminate original, scientific, theoretical or applied research in the field of Computer Sciences and allied fields. It provides a platform for publishing results and research with a strong empirical component. It aims to bridge the significant gap between research and practice by promoting the publication of original, novel, industry-relevant research.

Irrigation water management in Iran: Implications for water use efficiency improvement

Water is the most essential resource for the production of agricultural goods and services. However, high levels of water stress and increased frequency and intensity of droughts, which are mainly driven by climate change dynamics, have reduced the stock of freshwater resources in arid and semi-arid regions, such as Iran. Despite the major reduction of freshwater resources, the efficiency of irrigation water use has remained very low in the country and performance of water management schemes is far from satisfactory. Using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats/political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental (SWOT/PESTLE) analysis, this paper explores 40 internal and external factors that influence irrigation water management in Iran and recognizes legal, social, technological and political dynamics as the major reasons for failure of irrigation water management in the country. A combination of the threats, opportunities, weaknesses and strengths (TOWS) matrix and bottleneck analysis was used to suggest irrigation water management strategies that rehabilitate the failed schemes and enhance water security in the agriculture sector. Rethinking the role of intensified agriculture in development along with raising the awareness and attitude of decision makers towards the risk of shortsighted water resource development plans, in addition to promoting agro-based industries and developing integrated plans to improve water efficiency are the strategies that can contribute to a more effective management of irrigation water in Iran.

Planning of Conservation Measures for Watershed Management and Development by using Geospatial Technology – A Case study of Patur Watershed in Akola District of Maharashtra

Planning of conservation measures for watershed management and development is the method of preparing and implementing plans in different projects to maintain and raise watershed management functions which otherwise affect the plants, animal and human communities inside watershed boundary. The geospatial technologies like remote sensing and GIS, GPS are useful for fast and cost effective study of different applications with accuracy in planning. It also gives a good quality perspective for understanding the problems and therefore useful for planners for better result for sustainable water resource development and management. The main focus of the study is to develop the land and water resource development plan and environmental management for groundwater recharge development using Geospatial technology in Patur watershed which is situated in Akola district of Maharashtra. In this study various types of thematic maps have been generated from satellite images using remote sensing and GIS technology. These thematic maps were prepared from different types of data sets like IRS- LISS-III multispectral images, SRTM data with 30 m resolution and Survey of India Toposheet. The thematic maps for GIS analysis were created by image processing of the raw data using geospatial technology. A particular importance is laid on the planning of conservation measures for land and water resources management plan mainly based on the land use/ land cover, geology, geomorphology and slope of the Patur watershed area. The planning conservation activity should be important for ecological development and management at the forest area in the Patur watershed. From the final output of these study different conservation measures/structures like recharge wells, farm ponds, CNB, gully plug, CCT and other soil and water conservation structures have been suggested for groundwater recharge development, environmental management and to control soil erosion from the watershed area with reference to remote sensing and GIS data compared with ground truth.

Potential for the desalination of a brackish groundwater aquifer under a background of rising sea level via salt intrusion prevention river gates in the coastal area of the Red River Delta, Vietnam

Additional freshwater sources are required in many parts of the world, including the coastal areas of the Red River Delta (RRD), where the groundwater (GW) is generally brackish. Determining a feasible method for desalinating brackish aquifers would help provide additional freshwater sources. However, substantial desalination of brackish aquifers cannot be achieved under the natural conditions of GW flow and precipitation recharge. Although rainfall recharge to the shallow Holocene aquifer has occurred for hundreds of years, the aquifer still remains brackish since the natural hydraulic conditions do not allow a complete mixing between the fresh recharged water and aquifer salinized water or the discharging of the aquifer salinized water. The planned salt intrusion prevention gates in the Red River, Tra Ly River and Hoa River in the RRD coastal area, combined with increased GW abstraction and associated aquifer recharge with fresh river water, could result in the gradual desalination of the shallow Holocene aquifer. These effects would help improve the area’s resilience to freshwater shortages and sea level rises and would allow for the creation of a long-term sustainable water resource development plan to manage the salinization of water resources caused by sea level rises. Finite element (FE) modeling of GW flow, solute transport via GW flow and dynamic programming (DP) have been used to study the potential desalination of brackish aquifers, the magnitude of GW abstraction quantities and the spatial and temporal aspects of desalination. FE modeling of GW flow coupled with DP was utilized to identify the magnitude of sustainable abstraction quantities and the GW flow field, which is required in salt transport models. Multiple sizes of elements and time steps were used to adapt to the unsteady state of GW flow and hydraulic head variables between the elements in the FE meshes in order to ensure reasonable accuracy of numerical modeling. The GW flow and salt transport modeling and DP allowed determining quasi-steady-state GW abstraction rates and aquifer salinity levels for conditions that did and did not include the shallow Holocene unconfined aquifer recharge from rainfall. The aquifer modeled domain which is supposed to serve the pumping well field is 1.5 km2. The results showed that the Holocene aquifer may provide a stable abstraction rate of 100 m3/day starting in the 6th year (for the worst-case scenario with zero aquifer recharge from rainfall) to 130 m3/day starting in the 3rd year (for the scenario with aquifer recharge equal to 3% of the rainfall levels). During the first years of GW abstraction, the desalination of the brackish upper Holocene aquifer will mainly occur in the area close to the river, and at the 18th year of abstraction, almost the entire area between the river and line of pumping wells would be desalinized. From the 10th year of abstraction, the abstracted water has a total dissolved solids content lower than 0.5 g/l for the worst-case scenario with zero aquifer recharge from rainfall and lower than 0.42 g/l for the scenario with aquifer recharge equal to 3% of the rainfall. The modeling results indicate the simulated process by which abstraction of groundwater adjacent to the Tra Ly River could desalinize the brackish aquifer via freshwater recharge from the river.

Facing the challenge of extreme climate: the case of Metropolitan São Paulo

Climate variability has always posed important challenges to water resources planners and engineers. Recent hydrologic data from different parts of the world show that the use of traditional stationary series statistical methods to assess risk and uncertainty may not produce reliable estimates. In particular, the 2014–2015 drought in Metropolitan São Paulo that was followed by major flooding in 2016 shows the intensification of climatic extremes in this part of Brazil. The probability of this drought event is only 0.004 when estimated with data available from 83 years of record, until 2013. Was the drought of 2014–2015 a statistical outlier or should one consider it as an event that can occur again along the planning horizon? The paper describes the hydrologic conditions that resulted in the most severe drought ever recorded and the structural and non-structural initiatives taken by water authorities to avoid social chaos in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (21 million inhabitants). Furthermore, it discusses how the drought affected the existing water resources development plan, especially the anticipation of investments in water security. Because financial resources are limited, other investments, equally important but less urgent, are being delayed.

A Spaceborne Multisensory, Multitemporal Approach to Monitor Water Level and Storage Variations of Lakes

Lake Urmia, the second largest saline Lake on earth and a highly endangered ecosystem, is on the brink of a serious environmental disaster similar to the catastrophic death of the Aral Sea. Progressive drying has been observed during the last decade, causing dramatic changes to Lake Urmia’s surface and its regional water supplies. The present study aims to improve monitoring of spatiotemporal changes of Lake Urmia in the period 1975–2015 using the multi-temporal satellite altimetry and Landsat (5-TM, 7-ETM+ and 8-OLI) images. In order to demonstrate the impacts of climate change and human pressure on the variations in surface extent and water level, Lake Sevan and Van Lake with different characteristics were studied along with the Urmia Lake. Normalized Difference Water Index-Principal Components Index (NDWI-PCs), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Modified NDWI (MNDWI), Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), Water Ratio Index (WRI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEI), and MultiLayer Perceptron Neural Networks (MLP NNs) classifier were investigated for the extraction of surface water from Landsat data. The presented results revealed that MLP NNs has a better performance in the cases where the other models generate poor accuracy. The results show that the area of Lake Sevan and Van Lake have increased while the area of Lake Urmia has decreased by ~65.23% in the past decades, far more than previously reported (~25% to 50%). Urmia Lake’s shoreline has been receding severely between 2010 and 2015 with no sign of recovery, which has been partly blamed on prolonged droughts, aggressive regional water resources development plans, intensive agricultural activities, and anthropogenic changes to the system. The results also indicated that (among the proposed factors) changes in inflows due to overuse of surface water resources and constructing dams (mostly during 1995–2005) are the main reasons for Urmia Lake’s shoreline receding. The model presented in this manuscript can be used by managers as a decision support system to find the effects of building new dams or other infrastructures.