Coastal environmental degradation as a result of Caspian Sea water level fluctuation are very probable and human behaviors in non-optimal choice of the land use locate intensify these losses. Coastal tourism, as one of the coastal land uses is heavily influenced by fluctuations in sea level in both marine transgression-regression statuses. In current study, to investigate the Caspian Sea water level fluctuation impacts on coastal land use and urban tourism (Noor and Royan Cities), at first, sea level historical recorded data in Baku, Bandar Anzali and Nowshahr tide gauge stations were studied during 1840 to 2019. Landsat and Sentinel-2 satellite images and histogram filtering were used to extract the shorelines corresponding to the mentioned levels. Survey the tide gauge data showed that the lowest and highest water levels were recorded in 1977 (-28.5 meter) and 1993 (25.24 meter), respectively. According to the latest water level data, its value on November 2019 has reached the lowest level in the last three decades (-27.31 meter). 214 hectares of coastal lands of Noor and Royan Cities have been submerged due to the Caspian Sea water level rising from 1977 to 1995. Analyzing the Royan city land use in relation to the shoreline of July 1995 shows that 11 city blocks have went beyond this shoreline and have expanded to the sea. Interesting facts about these 11 blocks is that they are residential and tourism land uses. Also, in the coastal zone of Noor city, three important utilities of coastal tourism, including groin built in the breakwater of Noor recreational port, Negin Noor coastal complex and floating pier of Aryan Hotel, are the most important utilities related to Caspian Sea water level fluctuation that their performance is strongly influenced by these fluctuations.

Keywords: Caspian Sea water level fluctuation, Shoreline, Coastal tourism, Satellite imagery, Noor and Royan Cities

     

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