Assessment of watershed management impacts on erosion and sedimentation (behvard watershed, Iran)

The implementation of soil preservation programs and measures to combat erosion and sedimentation could substantially assist the protection of resources and the maintenance of the reservoir constructions under the framework of watershed management activities. The assessment of watershed management activities and the level of public support is essential in facilitating the enhancement of such steps and identifying their strengths and weaknesses. Thus, the objective of this research was to assess the impact of watershed management activities on erosion and sedimentation of Behvard Watershed. The aforesaid area is a sub-watershed basin being studied by the Sustainable Management of Land and Water Resources (SMLWR) Project of Hableroud Watershed Basin in collaboration with UNDP from 1996 where currently several watershed projects are ongoing. The assessment results of erosional facies of the basin in the areas of biological operation indicate alterations in various regions. The most effective steps in reduction of erosional facies and the consolidation of erosional flanks are embankment along with plantation of fruit saplings and drop seeding. The highest reduction in special erosion (73.2%) in the areas of biological operations was due to embankment and plantation of fruit saplings. The amount of controlled sedimentation via the operational activities indicates that earth band sar contains the highest level of sedimentation. The comparison of sedimentation levels reveals that in some sub-basins the sedimentation reductions were 4.8 to 6 folds and the amount of sedimentation at the reservoirs were 79% to 83.2% less.