Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Soil Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh, Maragheh, Iran
2 2- PhD graduate of Watershed Science and Engineering, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
3 3- Assistant Professor, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute (SCWMRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The Watershed Sustainability Index (WSI) is one of the valid indicators that quantifies the sustainability status of a watershed. The Atrak River watershed is located in Golestan Province and has an area of 819,000 hectares. The Watershed Sustainability Index is one of the few indicators designed specifically for watersheds, developing the UNESCO-HELP model and using the PSR (Pressure-Status-Response) causal model. It evaluates the sustainability of the watershed in question numerically and using a formula in the form of four sub-indices of hydrology (qualitative and quantitative), environment, life (livelihood conditions and human development), and policy. In this method, by considering the information and data available for examining each of the sub-indices, the values of the parameters are determined in three states of pressure, status, and response and are converted into quantitative form in a scoring range from zero to one and in five categories (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1). The final WSI value is calculated through the arithmetic mean of the sub-indices at three levels: low, medium, and high. The final results of the WSI method showed that all sub-basins have a poor sustainability status in all four main indicators. Considering the average score (0.448), the Atrak watershed is in the low category in terms of sustainability. Considering the results obtained and the low sustainability level of the Atrak River watershed, it is necessary to take immediate and planned measures to improve the sustainability status. The most important and applicable management suggestions in the basin include the following: Comprehensive water resources management, improving the quality of water resources, including controlling and reducing pollutant inputs, protecting and restoring natural vegetation, and strengthening environmental governance and policymaking.
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