Monitoring of sediment cell changes in rivers, using basin structural connectivity index (Case study: AbolAbbas Basin in Khuzestan)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Nature Engineering, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani. Iran

2 PhD graduate, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Golestan, Iran

Abstract

In general, comprehensive watershed management depends on achieving an eco-hydrological balance of watersheds and improving the livelihood of stakeholders. One of the main principles of watershed management measures is sediment management through soil protection operations using new techniques such as the Sediment connectivity index. Sediment connectivity is an emerging term in watersheds that are often used to describe the internal relationships between runoff and sediment sources in the upper parts to the outlet of the relevant watershed. The purpose of this study was to monitor the spatial changes of sediment accurately, using structural Sediment connectivity index and analysis of sediment flow from upstream to the outlet in the basins, which was carried out in AbolAbbas watershed of Khuzestan during the summer period of years 2020-2021. The present study is based on the use of Borsley's proposed approach and cover land weighted layer. The results showed that the dimensionless index of sediment connection was estimated with a spatial accuracy of 30 m, ranging from -7.9 to 3.4 and obtained with an average of -5.50. The accuracy of the sediment connection index with determination coefficient of 0.56 has a good accuracy in monitoring the sediment transport potential from the upstream to the basin outlet. However, the results showed that the new method of sediment connectivity index in modeling sediment flow could be a pixel (cellular) tool to identify homogeneous areas in terms of distribution of sediment connection and make management decisions and programs.  

Keywords


Ali, G., Oswald, C., Spence, C. and Wellen, C. (2018). The T‐TEL method for assessing water, sediment, and chemical connectivity. Water Resources Research, 54(2), 634-662.‏
Arabkhedri, M., Heidary, K., and Parsamehr, M. R. (2021). Relationship of sediment yield to connectivity index in small watersheds with similar erosion potentials. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 21(7), 2699-2708.
Borselli, L., Cassi, P., and Torri, D. (2008). Prolegomena to sediment and flow connectivity in the landscape: a GIS and field numerical assessment. Catena, 75(3), 268-277.
Bracken, L. J., Turnbull, L., Wainwright, J., and Bogaart, P. (2015). Sediment connectivity: a framework for understanding sediment transfer at multiple scales. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 40(2), 177-188.
Cavalli, M., Trevisani, S., Comiti, F., and Marchi, L. (2013). Geomorphometric assessment of spatial sediment connectivity in small Alpine catchments. Geomorphology, 188, 31-41.
Fryirs, K. A., Brierley, G. J., Preston, N. J. and Kasai, M. (2007). Buffers, barriers and blankets: The (dis)connectivity of catchment-scale sediment cascades. Catena, 70(1), 49–67.
Heckmann, T. and Vericat, D. (2018). Computing spatially distributed sediment delivery ratios: inferring functional sediment connectivity from repeat high-resolution digital elevation models. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 43(7), 1547–1554.
Jarihani, A. A., Callow, J. N., McVicar, T. R., Van Niel, T. G. and Larsen, J. R. (2015). Satellite-derived Digital Elevation Model (DEM) selection, preparation and correction for hydrodynamic modelling in large, low-gradient and data-sparse catchments. Journal of Hydrology, 524, 489–506.
Kalantari, Z., Ferreira, C. S. S., Koutsouris, A. J., Ahlmer, A. K., Cerdà, A., and Destouni, G. (2019). Assessing flood probability for transportation infrastructure based on catchment characteristics, sediment connectivity and remotely sensed soil moisture. Science of the total environment, 661, 393-406.
Keesstra, S. D., Davis, J., Masselink, R. H., Casalí, J., Peeters, E. T., and Dijksma, R. (2019). Coupling hysteresis analysis with sediment and hydrological connectivity in three agricultural catchments in Navarre, Spain. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 19(3), 1598-1612.
Lisenby, P. E., Fryirs, K. A. and Thompson, C. J. (2020). River sensitivity and sediment connectivity as tools for assessing future geomorphic channel behavior. International Journal of River Basin Management, 18(3), 279-293.
Lisenby, P. E., Fryirs, K. A., and Thompson, C. J. (2020). River sensitivity and sediment connectivity as tools for assessing future geomorphic channel behavior. International Journal of River Basin Management, 18(3), 279-293.
Liu, W., Shi, C., Ma, Y., and Wang, Y. (2022) Evaluating sediment connectivity and its effects on sediment reduction in a catchment on the Loess Plateau, China. Geoderma408, 115566.
Michaelides, K. and Chappell, A. (2009). Connectivity as a concept for characterising hydrological behaviour. Hydrological Processes, 23(3), 517-522.
Millares-Valenzuela, A., Eekhout, J. P., Martínez-Salvador, A., García-Lorenzo, R., Pérez-Cutillas, P., and Conesa-García, C. (2022) Evaluation of sediment connectivity through physically-based erosion modeling of landscape factor at the event scale. CATENA213, 106165.
Najafi, S., Dragovich, D., Heckmann, T., & Sadeghi, S. H. (2021). Sediment connectivity concepts and approaches. Catena, 196, 104880.
Najafi, S., Sadeghi, S. and Heckmann, T. (2018). Analyzing structural sediment connectivity pattern in taham watershed, iran. Watershed engineering and management, 10(2), 192-203. (In Farsi)
Najafi, S., Sadeghi, S. H., and Heckmann, T. (2017). Temporospatial variations of structural sediment connectivity patterns in Taham-Chi watershed in Zanjan province, Iran. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 24(3), 131–147. (In Farsi)
Owens, P.N. (2020). Soil erosion and sediment dynamics in the Anthropocene: a review of human impacts during a period of rapid global environmental change. Journal of Soils Sediments 20, 4115–4143.
Parsamehr, M. R., Eisaei, H., Abdoli, S. and Asiaei, M. (2014). Calibration of PSIAC & MPSIAC Empirical Models using Sediment Survey of Small Reservoirs in North-East Iran, Golestan Province. Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute. Iran. 70 P. (In Farsi)
Renard, K. G. (1997). Predicting soil erosion by water: a guide to conservation planning with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). United States Government Printing.
Upadhayay, H. R., Lamichhane, S., Bajracharya, R. M., Cornelis, W., Collins, A. L., and Boeckx, P. (2020) Sensitivity of source apportionment predicted by a Bayesian tracer mixing model to the inclusion of a sediment connectivity index as an informative prior: illustration using the Kharka catchment (Nepal). Science of the Total Environment713, 136703.
Van der Knijff, J. M., Jones, R. J. A. and Montanarella, L. (2000). Soil erosion risk: assessment in Europe.
Vigiak, O., Borselli, L., Newham, L. T. H., McInnes, J. and Roberts, A. M. (2012). Comparison of conceptual landscape metrics to define hillslope-scale sediment delivery ratio. Geomorphology, 138(1), 74-88.
Wang, C., Zhang, G., Zhu, P., Wang, Z., and Xing, S. (2022) Sediment connectivity of small watershed affected by gully development and vegetation restoration on the loess plateau. Geoderma410, 115663.
Whishmeier, W.H. and Smith, D.D., 1978. Predicting Rainfall Erosion Losses—A Guide to Conservation Planning. U.S. department of Agriculture. 537
Zanandrea, F., Michel, G. P., Kobiyama, M., Censi, G. and Abatti, B. H. (2021). Spatial-temporal assessment of water and sediment connectivity through a modified connectivity index in a subtropical mountainous catchment. CATENA, 204, 105380.
ZoratiPour, A. and Cheragi, M. (2020) Combined Application of Multi-Criteria Decision Making Methods and Remote Sensing Systems for Flood Cellular Zoning of Abolabbas River Basin in Khuzestan Province. Journal of Irrigation Sciences and Engineering (JISE). (In Farsi)