Iranian Journal of Range and Desert Research

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Evaluation the effectiveness of biological and biomechanical watershed management practices on vegetation changes,

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Range and Watershed Management Department, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

2 Gratuate of PhD in Watershed Science and Engineering, Department of Reclamation of Arid and Mountainous Regions, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Iran

3 PhD student in Rangeland Science, Department of Reclamation of Arid and Mountainous Regions, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Iran

4 Graduated Master's degree in Watershed Management, Department of Reclamation of Arid and Mountainous Regions, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Iran

5 Graduated Master's degree in Rural Development, Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University of Kermanshah, Iran

10.22092/ijrdr.2025.133602

Abstract

Background and objective:
 In recent years, extensive watershed management measures including biological, mechanical and biomechanical measures have been carried out with the aim of flood, erosion and sediment control and water storage in the different sections of research, study and implementation in the country. Evaluation of watershed management plans in order to analyze the performance of implemented watershed management measures and develop basic solutions is one of the basic needs in watershed management. Therefore, the aim of this research is to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the effects of biological and biomechanical measures of watershed management on the vegetation cover changes in Azimieh watershed, Karaj, Alborz province.
Materials and methods
In this study, vegetation changes were determined using Landsat series 5, 7 and 8, satellite images, and NDVI index in a period of 20 years (2000-2019). Then, by using the polytrend model, the trend of linear and non-linear changes and the effect of water management measures implemented in the watershed on the vegetation cover in the Azimieh Karaj watershed, Alborz province, were investigated. Also, in order to evaluate the accuracy of the results and satellite images, field measurements were also used. Also, in order to investigate the effect of climatic factors on vegetation changes, drought index and rainfall data of Karaj station were used.
Results
Results of trend showed that 41.9% of changes were significant over 20 years. 88.3% of the significant changes in vegetation were increasing. The results of Polytrend method showed that the changes in vegetation were cubic, linear and quadratic with values of 63.4%, 27.8% and 8.8%, respectively. Evaluation of the effects of implemented measures to improving the vegetation status of the watershed showed that the percentage of canopy in the watershed was on average 28% before implementing the watershed management measures, which has increased to 34% after the implementation of watershed management measures. Of the total area of ​​biological operations in Azimiyeh watershed (2724 hectares), in 70% of the area, changes in the vegetation status of the rangeland have been nonlinear and these changes were in projects such as seeding and tree planting and terrace. Also, the vegetation in a parts of the downstream areas of Azimiyeh watershed have been destroyed by non-linear trends due to the growth and development of residential areas and civil works such as the construction of Hemmat Highway.
Conclusion
The performance evaluation of watershed management projects in Azimieh Karaj watershed showed that watershed management measures have caused a significant increase in vegetation in the region. On the other hand, development and urbanization in the downstream areas of the watershed has caused the loss and destruction of vegetation over the past years. The evaluation of watershed management plans can show the positive and negative results of the measures implemented over the years, and in this way, steps can be taken to solve their obstacles and problems.

Keywords

References
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Iranian Journal of Range and Desert Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 11 May 2025
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