Analysis of relations between water erosion features and effective parameters on their intensity and spatial patterns (Case study: Baleghli chay watershed, Ardebil, Iran)

Abstract

Soil erosion results from an interaction of several parameters, which vary in space and time. Awareness ofenvironmental changes and their impact on the intensity and spatial pattern of water erosion can effectively help inrecognition of erosional reactions versus the affecting factors. The aim of this paper is to describe the development ofa methodology based on present knowledge and available data, for evaluation of water erosion behavior and risk aswell as an estimation of soil erosion. Accordingly, based on the conducted research on different types of watererosion in some areas of Baleghli Chay Watershed, between two hydrometric gauging stations were studied, with anexclusion of erosion due to mass movements. Four major types of water erosion namely: sheet, rill, channel andstreambank which play a considerable role in sediment yields of the area, were separately studied. In order todetermine the inter-effects of erosive factors, the study was conducted using multivariate statistical tests. For eacherosion type, an individual model was then presented. The results indicated complex and different interactionsbetween the likelihood of water erosion and environmental changes in the study area. Sheet and rill erosions actdifferently from channel erosion while streambank erosion is completely different from others. Therefore, a study ofindividual types of water erosion can help in recognition of accelerating factors that effectively influence watererosion, and consequently to come up with appropriate models.

Keywords

• water erosion
• erosion model
• watershed
• baleghli chay
• ardebil
• iran