Classification and evaluation of coastal water resources

Water Resources (WR) agencies have recently shifted to holistic management approaches that combine the use of watersheds and ecoregions as complimentary tools. However, the classification of data is based on land used and land cover detection. In contrast, this research is concerned with inferring WR quality from the landscape using satellite imagery and aerial photography combined with collateral data. To conduct the study, three major procedures were devised: (1) construction of a classification system for regional coastal WR, (2) delineation of WR units based on the interpretation of water quality parameters (e.g. land use/cover, soil, vegetation, etc.), and (3) development and implementation of a water quality rating system. The results showed that this technique can be utilized effectively to monitor WR. The distribution of beneficial water quality was correlated with anthopogenic activities and modifications. Temporal events such as sea surface temperature had a short, but detrimental impact on water quality.