Equipping the Izmit Bay with treatment plants, Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality saved the bay from a gray appearance by preventing the wastewater from reaching the sea without being treated. In the Gulf of Izmit, which has begun to return to its old days, the bottom mud cleaning will begin in a short time. Before the cleaning, the Metropolitan Municipality is working with Istanbul University to determine biodiversity in the Gulf of Izmit. In this context, samples were taken from the sea by ship for the second time. The studies on the status of determination of biodiversity, which started last February, will continue with samples to be taken during and after sludge removal.
9 MILLION 462 THOUSAND 445 CUBE MUD
Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, which has signed many projects on environmental cleaning, is starting the most important work for the Gulf of Izmit. The bottom mud cleaning project, which is important for saving the Izmit Bay, has come to an end. Within the scope of the first stage of the cleaning work, which consists of two stages, it is planned to remove a total of 1 million 225 thousand 9 cubic meters of mud in an area of 462 million 445 thousand square meters in the eastern basin.
SAMPLES TAKEN FOR THE SECOND TIME
In order to reveal the contributions of the bottom mud cleaning to the Izmit Bay and its possible positive effects in the future, the Study on Determining the Biodiversity Status was also started in the region last month. Within the scope of the study carried out with Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality and Istanbul University, the research ship 'Yunus-S' belonging to the Faculty of Aquatic Sciences of Istanbul University came to the Gulf of Izmit for the second time. Samples were collected for the second time in the eastern basin of the Gulf of Izmit with the research ship “Yunus S”.
WORKS WERE DONE IN 4 POINTS
3 sampling points in the area where the bottom mud will be drawn and 1 reference sampling point outside the study area were determined. Variable parameters in sea water, nutrient salts, chlorophyll-a, bacteriological analyzes, phytoplankton analyzes, zooplankton analyzes, fish and benthic organism studies were performed in the studies conducted at 4 points. With these studies, it is aimed to reveal the existing marine biodiversity. The works carried out before the bottom mud extraction process will be repeated in the following periods, including the period when the mud was drawn and after.
“WE LOOK AT LIFE IN MUD”
Providing information about the studies carried out, Istanbul University Faculty of Aquatic Sciences Dr. Professor Uğur Uzer said, “Within the scope of our joint work with Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, we look at the distribution of sea creatures in our stations located in the sea from zero to 20 or 25 meters in the Izmit Bay region. We also take mud samples from the seabed and look at the living things and bacteria in the mud. Then, we measure the temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, PH and conductivity values in the water column with the SDI device. We will evaluate the results obtained. This work will continue until about the end of the year.”