Pollution and risk analysis for Başköy-Kestel setion and sub-basins of Bursa Nilüfer Creek

In our country, it is currently observed that the population shows a large increase, decisions made on the land-use show an upsetting nature for the natural ecological balance; accordingly environmental problems have reached a dimension endangering all the living creatures. It is of importance to eliminate the negative effects of urbanization phenomenon causing the depletion of nonrenewable natural resources through planning methods and techniques. For this reason, when the current land-use of Basköy - Kestel section and sub-basins of Bursa Nilüfer River that is the subject of the Thesis is analyzed, it is found that spatial organization has changed radically as a result of the decisions made by governments based on the industrialization process, urbanization phenomena such as residential and industrial areas on the first-class agricultural lands and lands composed of rocks with high geological permeability have created pollution or pollution risks on natural resources within the basin.With reference to the analyzes performed on water samples taken from Nilüfer River; it is adopted as a key principle to assess the impact of chemical impurities on water quality; to associate the proliferation of impurities to the physical geographic characteristics of these impurities; compare the impurities to the international standards; to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a tool; and to evaluate this analytical studies as a whole.It is revealed that it is necessary to bring out the theoretical information leading the research; basin, natural resources and ecosystem are an integrated system depending on the concept of basin and they should be evaluated from this perspective. The ecological risk assessment is examined methodologically; and some models which could be integrated are described. Afterwards, the universal parameters of air, water and soil pollution, lower - upper limit values and the relationships between these parameters and other natural-artificial factors are discussed. The nature and land structure of the research area along with the environmental problems naturally arising from the internal processes of natural resources are revealed. Spatial formation and socio-economic characteristics of the city of Bursa during the historical process are evaluated, current and previous land uses are analyzed ecologically, pollution and risks arising from the land use due to zoning plans are identified. The pollution analyses that were conducted on the research area to identify impurities caused by human activities and land uses (e.g. residential, agricultural activities, industrial discharges and transportation) are evaluated based on the relational construct between all the elements that create pollution in the basin. Ecological problems arising out of soil, air and water pollution in the research area, pressures, pressure sources and characteristics, adverse effects are measured and compared to the international standards. Depending on the physical and human characteristics of the research area, soil and groundwater pollution risks are determined using the GIS methodology. Finally, all analyzes conducted within the scope of the thesis are evaluated and measures are provided to protect the research area.According to the findings obtained from the analyses, the pressures caused by functional areas are the impurities connected to inversion phenomena occurring due to the discharge of fertilizers and pesticides used in agricultural fields and processing wastes coming from industrial areas into Nilüfer River, soil and underground water through wells; discharge of domestic wastewaters coming from residential areas into Nilüfer River and wells; groundwater pollution originating from sewage leaks in some areas; and air pollution caused by particularly overheating and transportation vehicles.As a result, it is stressed that it is necessary to primarily identify the current status of the natural resources, while preparing a basin plan and local area plans, analyze the physical - biological and ecological characteristics as it should be, and direct the decisions concerning the land use.