The largest inland saline lake in India, the Sambhar Lake is significant ecologically as well as economically, and has been encountering marked hydrological shifts primarily from climatic change and anthropogenic activities. This study aims to quantify these hydrological changes and assess their ecological consequences to inform effective management strategies for Sambhar Lake. Utilizing high-resolution Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and Google Earth Engine (GEE), we analyzed transitions in water coverage and quality from 1984 to 2021. We employed spectral indices such as Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Turbidity, and Chlorophyll-a to evaluate fluctuations in water quality. Analysis showed an increase in permanent bodies of water while areas of variable seasonal water reflect a dynamic hydrological state determined by environmental and anthropogenic induced disturbances. The study uncovered temporal spikes in turbidity and TSS content, placing special emphasis on the monsoon seasons, alluding to sediment inflows and eutrophication threats. Chlorophyll-a concentrations exhibited seasonal surges indicative of algal blooms. This integrated, multi-decadal assessment provides new scientific evidence to guide policymakers and conservationists in developing targeted, sustainable management actions for Sambhar Lake and other vulnerable saline wetlands.
Singh et al. (Mon,) studied this question.