Saeed Najafi; Habib Nazarnejad; Hedieh Mohammadnezhad
Abstract
Since most of soil erosion studies in the watersheds are conducted by consultant and executive companies (as contractors) using the semi-quantitative MPSIAC model under the supervision of provincial natural resources and watershed administrations (as employers), so in this study, the results and findings ...
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Since most of soil erosion studies in the watersheds are conducted by consultant and executive companies (as contractors) using the semi-quantitative MPSIAC model under the supervision of provincial natural resources and watershed administrations (as employers), so in this study, the results and findings of the aforesaid studies in West Azerbaijan Province were considered. Analysis of the studies showed that in the last three decades a total of 76 watersheds of the province with an approximate area of 4100 km2 have been studied in terms of soil erosion and sediment yield states using the MPSIAC Model. Estimated mean annual soil erosion was 13.95, 16.30, and 15.59 t.ha−1.yr−1 for northern, central, and southern sections, respectively. Meanwhile, based on the model, the mean sediment yield of mentioned sections has been calculated equal to 5.39, 5.64, and 6.09 t.ha−1.yr−1. Nevertheless, a detailed investigation based on the resistance of different lithology units to erosion in the studied watersheds, as well as land use and vegetation cover as the two most important factors of the MPSIAC Model showed less reliability of the reported results. It seems one of most important reasons for such unreliable results refers to one of the most important weaknesses of the MPSIAC model which estimation of the soil erosion is depended on the estimated amounts of sediment yields and sediment delivery ratio. According to our findings, it can be concluded and suggested that the Forests, Rangelands, and Watershed Management Organization should replace the MPSIAC Model, with USLE family models, especially RUSLE, at least in estimating the soil erosion, in the services description of consultant and executive companies. Implementation of this change should also be taken seriously by the provincial natural resources and watershed management administrations.
Hamidreza Peyrowan; Mohsen Shariat Jafari; Dadvar Lotfollahzadeh
Abstract
The study performed to determine the relationship between landslide and increasing sediment load in Latian dam watershed. Sediment yield of six sub-basins were estimated with by two methods of MPSIAC and hydrometric station . More than 150 landslides were mapped by ETM+ and Google Earth image processing. ...
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The study performed to determine the relationship between landslide and increasing sediment load in Latian dam watershed. Sediment yield of six sub-basins were estimated with by two methods of MPSIAC and hydrometric station . More than 150 landslides were mapped by ETM+ and Google Earth image processing. Comparing the observed data with MPSIAC output in Lavasanat and Kond-Afjeh sub-catchments, it became clear that Lavasanat has less sediment yield. But, despite of this subject, observed sediment yield in Lavasanat hydrometric station is about two times in Kond–Afjeh, while the landslides area in Lavasanat and Kond–Afjeh sub-basins are 1.8 and 0.7 percent of the area. Based on the estimated sediment yield of MPSIAC model, the weighted average of specific sediment yield for Kond-Afjeh and Garmabdar sub–basins with landslide area of 0.7 and 2.4 percent are 387.02 and 431.39 m3km-2y-1 respectively, which means that increasing the relative percentage of landslide area from 0.7 to 2.4 percent, specific sediment yield increases by 11.5 percent. Based on data analysis in Roodak hydrometric station in Jajrood basin, average sediment discharge of the river in the first nine months of 1383 before Hajyabad landslide was 6.17 tons per day that increased to an average of 16.9 tons per day at nine months after landslide. This amount is equivalent to 170 percent increasing of sediment load in nine months after mentioned event. The interesting point is that this increasing of sediment yield was in the period of about 30% decrease in water debit . This means that not only increasing sediment yield of the river is not related to the water debit, but also, about 30% reduction of water debit is should reduce sediment yield. So, regarding to the area of 20.45 ha of Hajabad landslide zone, each hectare of landslide area could increase more than 8% of the sediment load in the river.
Reza Bayat; Bagher Ghermez Cheshmeh; Hoseingholi Refahi
Abstract
The rate of soil erosion and sediment yield depends on different factors. Vegetation cover is more variable factor effecting occurrence of soil erosion in comparison to the other factors in a given watershed. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the role of canopy cover resulting from land ...
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The rate of soil erosion and sediment yield depends on different factors. Vegetation cover is more variable factor effecting occurrence of soil erosion in comparison to the other factors in a given watershed. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the role of canopy cover resulting from land management on sediment yield. Taleghan watershed was selected as a study area due to the availability of sufficient data. Necessary information was provided for MPSIAC model and was made in GIS environment and all needed calculations were done for preparing sediment yield map. The result of the comparison of the calculated and the estimated sediment yield indicated similarity of them (i.e. 98.3% similarity). For impact assessment of vegetation cover effect on sediment control, canopy cover was changed in a range of ±5 to 25% percent with 5% interval in both good and bad conditions. The effect of these changes was applied to bare soil percentage as well. The related thematic maps were prepared and sediment yield was determined. The result showed that sediment yield varied because of changing canopy cover. The increase and decrease of canopy cover by 25%, affected the sediment yield to change by -29.6% and 26.8% respectively.
