Estimation of Morphometric Parameters in Lakes Based on Satellite Imagery Data: Implications of Relationships Between Lakes in the Arid Region of Western Mongolia, Central Asia

Enkhbold, Altanbold; Vandansambuu, Battsengel; Yadamsuren, Gansukh; Dorjsuren, Batsuren; Dorligjav, Sandelger; Gonchigjav, Yumchmaa; Dingjun, Li; Narantsetseg, Chantsal; Ganbold, Byambabayar; Sumiya, Erdenesukh

doi:10.14746/quageo-2025-0002

Figures & Tables

A – The geographical location of the study area. B – Topographic map of Mongolia and the Zavkhan River–Khyargas Lake basin in western Mongolia. C – Satellite images of the Airag and Khyargas lakes. D – Gegeen Lake.

Morphological changes in the area of Airag Lake (1991–2021).

Morphological changes in the area of Gegeen Lake (2007–2021).

Morphological changes in the area of Khyargas Lake (1991–2021).

A – Temporal changes in the water surface area of the Khyargas Lake basin. B – Surface area trends for the water accumulation (2007–2011) and after the accumulation period of Gegeen Lake (2011–2021).

A – Relationship of surface area changes between the Gegeen and Airag lakes. The light green background represents the water accumulation period for Gegeen Lake, while the light orange background corresponds to the water accumulation period of the lake. B – Relationship of surface area changes for Khargas Lake with the Gegeen and Airag lakes.

Variations in morphometric changes in the lakes. A – Depth change; B – volume change of the Airag and Gegeen lakes and C – depth and volume changes of Khyargas Lake.

Three-dimensional model of water volume changes in lakes. Morphometric changes in A – Airag Lake, B – Gegeen Lake and C – Khyargas Lake.

Photograph of the lakes. A – Airag Lake aerial photo, photo by Batbold Dorj; B – Gegeen Lake aerial photo, photo by Dorjzovd Enkhtur; C – Airag Lake water level decline; D – The level of water increase in the Gegeen Lake and E – Khyargas Lake water level decline, photo by Altanbold Enkhbold.

Changes in the depth and volume of the Khyargas Lake basin (2007–2021)_

Serial No.	Year	Airag Lake		Gegeen Lake		Khyargas Lake
		Depth	Volume	Depth	Volume	Depth	Volume
		[m]	[km³]	[m]	[km³]	[m]	[km³]
1	2007	12.587	0.694	0.598	0.001	78.66	66.034
2	2008	11.956	0.596	10.224	0.064	78.37	65.630
3	2009	11.491	0.527	12.107	0.095	78.10	65.266
4	2010	10.905	0.444	21.746	0.335	78.12	65.283
5	2011	10.643	0.408	31.923	0.738	77.78	64.819
6	2012	10.333	0.367	30.519	0.673	77.71	64.727
7	2013	9.834	0.304	29.786	0.640	77.27	64.113
8	2014	9.465	0.259	31.789	0.732	77.13	63.934
9	2015	9.107	0.216	29.329	0.620	76.97	63.704
10	2016	9.572	0.271	35.607	0.923	77.06	63.835
11	2017	9.385	0.249	31.695	0.727	77.16	63.972
12	2018	9.169	0.224	28.576	0.588	77.06	63.833
13	2019	9.136	0.220	31.661	0.726	77.04	63.806
14	2020	9.113	0.217	25.524	0.465	77.49	64.426
15	2021	10.200	0.350	31.500	0.718	77.20	64.024

Morphometric parameters of the study area (Modified after Tserensodnom 2000; Davaa 2018; Enkhbold et al_ 2022; Dorjsuren et al_ 2023, 2024)_

Description	Unit	Khyargas Lake	Airag Lake	Gegeen Lake
Location	DMS	49°11'05"N, 93°16'16"E	48°53'12"N, 93°26'09"E	46°41'02"N, 96°46'17"E
Elevation (m a.s.l.)	m	1028	1030	1727
Average area	ha	138,306	15,179	3794
Shape	Direction	W–E	W–E	NW–SE
Average length	km	75	18	17.2
Average width	km	19	13	3.1
Depth (max)	m	78.7	10.2	31.5
Origin	–	Tectonic	Tectonic	Human
Chemistry	–	Salt	Fresh	Fresh
Water source	–	Surface	Surface	Surface

Estimation of water surface area in the Khyargas Lake basin_

Year	Khyargas Lake area	Airag Lake area	Gegeen Lake area	Satellite imagery considered in the analysis
Year	[ha]			Satellite imagery considered in the analysis
1991	137,482	13,190	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_19910811_20170125_01_T1
1992	137,726	13,419	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_19920813_20170122_01_T1
1993	138,084	16,501	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_19930816_20170117_01_T1
1994	139,201	17,811	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_19940718_20170114_01_T1
1995	139,913	19,295	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_19950822_20170107_01_T1
1996	140,011	19,319	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_19960621_20170104_01_T1
1997	139,967	19,039	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_19970827_20161230_01_T1
1998	140,105	19,064	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_19980611_20161224_01_T1
1999	140,317	18,266	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_19990716_20161217_01_T1
2000	139,728	18,023	0.00	LE07_L1TP_140026_20000827_20170210_01_T1
2001	140,007	17,859	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_20010806_20161210_01_T1
2002	139,699	17,562	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_20020809_20161207_01_T1
2003	139,697	17,392	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_20030727_20161205_01_T1
2004	139,629	17,272	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_20040713_20161130_01_T1
2005	139,349	16,901	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_20050817_20161124_01_T1
2006	139,347	16,545	0.00	LT05_L1TP_140026_20060719_20161120_01_T1
2006	139,347	16,545	0.00	*LT05_L1TP_138027_20060619_20161121_01_T1
2007	139,124	15,923	89	LT05_L1TP_140026_20070823_20161112_01_T1
2007	139,124	15,923	89	*LT05_L1TP_138027_20070825_20161111_01_T1
2008	138,609	15,125	1521	LT05_L1TP_140026_20080809_20161030_01_T1
2008	138,609	15,125	1521	*LT05_L1TP_138027_20080811_20161030_01_T1
2009	138,144	14,331	1801	LT05_L1TP_140026_20090711_20161024_01_T1
2009	138,144	14,331	1801	*LT05_L1TP_138027_20090713_20161023_01_T1
2010	138,167	13,808	3235	LT05_L1TP_140026_20100730_20161014_01_T1
2010	138,167	13,808	3235	*LT05_L1TP_138027_20100716_20161014_01_T1
2011	137,571	13,314	4749	LT05_L1TP_140026_20110818_20161007_01_T1
2011	137,571	13,314	4749	*LT05_L1TP_137028_20110728_20161008_01_T1
2012	137,453	13,096	4540	LE07_L1TP_140026_20120711_20161130_01_T1
2012	137,453	13,096	4540	*LE07_L1TP_138027_20120814_20161129_01_T1
2013	136,661	12,429	4431	LC08_L1TP_140026_20130823_20170502_01_T1
2013	136,661	12,429	4431	*LC08_L1TP_137028_20130701_20170503_01_T1
2014	136,428	11,992	4729	LC08_L1TP_140026_20140826_20170420_01_T1
2014	136,428	11,992	4729	*LC08_L1TP_138027_20140812_20170420_01_T1
2015	136,130	11,524	4363	LC08_L1TP_140026_20150813_20170406_01_T1
2015	136,130	11,524	4363	*LC08_L1TP_137028_20150808_20180524_01_T1
2016	136,300	12,108	5297	LC08_L1TP_140026_20160714_20170323_01_T1
2016	136,300	12,108	5297	*LC08_L1TP_137028_20160810_20170322_01_T1
2017	136,477	11,877	4715	LC08_L1TP_140026_20170717_20170727_01_T1
2017	136,477	11,877	4715	*LC08_L1TP_137028_20170712_20170726_01_T1
2018	136,298	11,585	4251	LC08_L1TP_140026_20180821_20180829_01_T1
2018	136,298	11,585	4251	*LC08_L1TP_137028_20180816_20180829_01_T1
2019	136,263	11,556	4710	LC08_L1TP_140026_20190824_20190903_01_T1
2019	136,263	11,556	4710	*LC08_L1TP_138027_20190826_20190903_01_T1
2020	137,064	11,529	3797	LE07_L1TP_140026_20200818_20200913_01_T1
2020	137,064	11,529	3797	*LC08_L1TP_138027_20200727_20200807_01_T1
2021	136,545	12,904	4686	LC08_L1TP_140026_20210813_20210819_01_T1
2021	136,545	12,904	4686	*LC08_L1TP_137028_20210824_20210831_01_T1

Estimation of Morphometric Parameters in Lakes Based on Satellite Imagery Data: Implications of Relationships Between Lakes in the Arid Region of Western Mongolia, Central Asia

Figures & Tables

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Changes in the depth and volume of the Khyargas Lake basin (2007–2021)_

Morphometric parameters of the study area (Modified after Tserensodnom 2000; Davaa 2018; Enkhbold et al_ 2022; Dorjsuren et al_ 2023, 2024)_

Estimation of water surface area in the Khyargas Lake basin_

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