APPLICATIONS OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND REMOTE SENSING IN WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

XII. INTERNATIONAL ECOLOGY SYMPOSIUM, Gaziantep, Türkiye, 13 - 16 Mayıs 2026, cilt.1, sa.1, ss.194-214, (Tam Metin Bildiri)

Watershed management is an interdisciplinary process aimed at the sustainable and

integrated planning of water, soil, and ecosystem components. Today, factors such as

population growth, climate change, and uncontrolled land-use changes impose increasing

pressures on watershed systems, thereby necessitating science-based management

approaches. In this context, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing

technologies have emerged as critical tools in watershed management by enabling the

efficient analysis of spatial and temporal data.

In this study, the contributions of GIS and remote sensing applications in watershed

management were evaluated based on the existing literature. GIS provides high accuracy

and flexibility in processes such as watershed delineation, topographic analysis,

monitoring of land use/land cover changes, and hydrological risk assessments (e.g.,

floods and erosion). Remote sensing techniques, on the other hand, facilitate the

identification of land cover dynamics, the calculation of vegetation indices, and the

monitoring of temporal variations in water resources through satellite and aerial imagery.

The integration of these two technologies significantly contributes to the development of

data-driven decision support systems at the watershed scale. In conclusion, the combined

use of GIS and remote sensing technologies enhances the effectiveness of watershed

planning and management processes while strengthening the scientific basis for

sustainable natural resource management. The wider adoption of these technologies,

particularly in academic research and applied studies, will improve the accuracy and

reliability of decision-making processes.