The efficiency of weathering indices and geochemical elements in sub_basin spatial sediment sources fingerprinting (case study: Alvand watershed, Kermanshah province)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of Mazandaran, Behshahr , Iran

Abstract

Erosion caused by water and sediment transport in watersheds leads to local and off-site effects that can cause significant damage to lands and infrastructure. Understanding the source of sediment production in river systems is essential for effective watershed management. A key challenge in sediment source tracing is the use of suitable tracers. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of weathering indicators and geochemical elements in the origin of sediment sources of sub-basins in Alvand watershed. For this purpose, first, 27 samples were taken from 3 sub-basins as sediment sources and 9 samples were taken from the main outlet of the basin as the target. After preparing the samples, 9 geochemical elements (Al-Ca-Fe-K-Na-Mg-Si-Ti-P) and 42 weathering indices were measured as primary tracers in sediment source samples and target sediment samples. Using Kruskal-Wallis statistical analysis and statistical analysis of the detection function, three geochemical elements (Na, Mg, Si) and three weathering indices (CPA, ALK, R) were selected as optimal tracers in the separation of sediment sources.The sediment source apportionment technique was prepared based on the Bayesian model, and the percentage contribution of each sediment source was determined. For the three sediment sources in the Alvand watershed, namely Basin 1 (Ghaleh Shahin), Basin 2 (Patagh), and Basin 3 (Rijab), the estimated percentages were 97.7%, 0.8%, and 1.1%, respectively. Based on the mentioned tracers, the Ghaleh Shahin sub-watershed was identified as the dominant sediment source.

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Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 26 November 2024

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