In the period following the widespread mucus formations observed in the surface waters of Izmit Bay in October 2007, the Institute of Environment and Cleaner Production (ÇTÜE) has been continuously conducting time-dependent monitoring studies for six years with the support of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality (KBB) in order to understand the cause of such formations that damage the ecosystem and to observe the variations in the Gulf system due to terrestrial and atmospheric pressures.

The main objectives of the project "Monitoring of Water Quality and Terrestrial Inputs in the Gulf of Izmit and Development of Suggestions for Prevention of Pollution" are to monitor the physical, chemical and biological parameters of the Gulf water in a time series to provide up-to-date data and to determine the three-dimensional Gulf current regime. In addition, the effects of terrestrial pollution (such as nutrients nitrate and phosphorus, total organic carbon (TOC), petroleum hydrocarbons) are monitored in seawater samples taken from the points where the discharges are discharged in the coastal region and the current pollution status of 12 streams flowing to the north of the Gulf is determined.

Our oceanographic studies in Izmit Bay, which we have been conducting with the boat provided by KBB for the first five years of the project and with the ÇTÜE research boat for the last year, were carried out on September 4-5, 2013 with the R/V TÜBİTAK MARMARA research vessel, which joined the TÜBİTAK MAM infrastructure in July 2013.

In our field study in September, sampling was carried out at 6 marine stations with CTD device and water sampler, and current data were collected with ADCP device over a route of approximately 100 nautical miles. The data obtained will constitute input to the long-term water quality determination studies and ecosystem models of the Gulf.

The study area and the stations studied are indicated on the map.