Evaluating impacts of urbanization on recharge of groundwater resources: case study: Bornova Plain (Izmir/Turkey)

Abstract

Increasing the World‘s population and industrialization in parallel with urbanization has created serious problems on water resources. Over the next forty years it is expected to add 2,5 million people on world population. To fulfill the needs of increasing population, the water demand will increase but the increasing of demand towards water is more rapid than increasing of population. Urbanization is a global phenomenon that is quickly altering the physical structure of any region. Bornova plain is located in water basin of Ġzmir where it is the most important settlement of the Aegean Region from the ancient ages to the current era. In this study, impacts of urbanization and population growth on groundwater resources were analyzed using GIS in Bornova Plain, where it is one of the most important groundwater aquifers and it supports about 16% of domestic water resources of Izmir City.