Geomorphic changes and socio-environmental impacts of recent sand mining in the Sakarya River, NW Turkey
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4189033 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Hilal Okur (0000-0001-5647-9653, Gebze Technical University, corresponding author), Mehmet Korhan Erturaç (0000-0002-6501-760X, Gebze Technical University), Kathleen Nicoll (0000-0002-6971-9713, University of Utah) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 525-549 |
| Publication date | 2024-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Anthropocene Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2053-0196 • E-ISSN: 2053-020X |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/20530196231218480 |
| OpenAlex | W4390113631 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 53 |
Analysis of multi-temporal satellite images from 1980 to 2019, complemented by geomorphic mapping and field study, indicate that "loose sand" extraction of Sakarya River deposits from the Adapazarı Plain of NW Turkey significantly intensified during the last decade, and mining operations have caused complete and irreversible alteration of floodplain habitat in a total area amounting to ~970 hectares. Our reconstructions estimate the total amount of mined material over a 40-year period since 1980 as ~50 million m3, amounting to ~80 million tonnes of fluvial sand. These sand mine operations, like most around the world, are highly disruptive and destructive but remain unregulated, and neither extractions or environmental impacts are reported or monitored. Our independent study is first to directly assess sand extraction in altering the natural geomorphic setting of the Sakarya River and describe economic, environmental, and social impacts of mining operations. The high demand for loose sand used in cement and concrete infrastructure correlates with changes in Turkey's political economy, which increasingly focused on construction during the last quarter of the 20th century. Extractive sand mining in this region has caused substantial land loss, soil erosion and water table alterations, which have made agricultural land unsuitable for cultivation, and even destroyed most of the farmland supporting the villages, eliminating the traditional farming practiced for millennia. Continuous mining operations cause constant noise, heavy vehicle traffic and pollution. Furthermore, sand removal from the Sakarya river environment has significantly diminished sediment transport offshore to its delta in the Black Sea; the lower sediment yield diminishes coastal beach nourishment and is accelerating coastal land erosion regionally. The Sakarya case study we describe illustrates the need for (1) improved oversight of human agency that destroys riverine settings; and (2) regulations regarding long term environmental and social impacts of sand mining
Agriculture · Archaeology · Floodplain · Fluvial · Geography · Geomorphology · Geotechnical engineering · Sand mining · Sediment · Structural basin · Aeolian processes and effects · Environmental Science · Marine and environmental studies · Soil erosion and sediment transport · Geology
‘Structure-from-Motion’ photogrammetry
Diffusion-based method for producing density-equalizing maps
Geomorphic/Tectonic Control of Sediment Discharge to the Ocean
Global socioeconomic material stocks rise 23-fold over the 20th century and require half of annual resource use
A looming tragedy of the sand commons
The Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holocene
Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities
Global Patterns and Trends for Non‐Metallic Minerals used for Construction
Cementing Relations
Sand, gravel, and UN Sustainable Development Goals
Growth in global materials use, GDP and population during the 20th century
Promises and perils of sand exploitation in Greenland
River bank instability from unsustainable sand mining in the lower Mekong River
Fluvial response to rising levels of the Black Sea and to climate changes during the Holocene
Differential urbanisation in Turkey, 1955–97
Bayesian Analysis of Radiocarbon Dates
The IntCal20 Northern Hemisphere Radiocarbon Age Calibration Curve (0–55 cal kBP)
Not biting the dust
Geography of Sand and Gravel Mining in the Lower Mekong River
Political ecology and urbanisation
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |