Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Suspended Particulate Matter in a River Using Landsat 8 : Implications for Water Quality Management

Authors : Bhagavat Punde and Namrata Jariwala

*Bhagavat Punde Research Scholar, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology Surat, Gujrat, India

**Namrata Jariwala Associate Professor Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology Surat, Gujrat, India

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Abstract

Suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the water body leads to various problems, such as light penetration into the water body, affecting the entire aquatic ecosystem. This research article investigates the spatio-temporal dynamics of SPM concentration in a river from 2018 to 2022. Acolite software, utilizing the default settings of the Dark Spectrum Fitting (DSF) algorithm for atmospheric correction, was employed to process Landsat 8 satellite images to estimate SPM concentration in Tapi river. The research employs point estimation techniques at strategic locations, including Kamrej, Sarthana, Katargam, Rander, and the Causeway, to capture the complexity of spatio-temporal patterns. The findings reveal that the Causeway consistently exhibits higher SPM concentrations, potentially due to water stagnation. Additionally, analysis of the summer and winter seasons demonstrates lower mean SPM concentrations in 2020 and 2021, attributed to the COVID-19 lockdown measures reducing anthropogenic activities and industrial discharge. These results emphasize the need to consider additional factors such as rainfall patterns, sediment dynamics, and point source pollution in understanding SPM dynamics. The research findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of SPM dynamics and provide insights for effective mitigation strategies to sustain water quality in the studied river system.