Zoning of Karst Evolution and Vulnerability, Using Multiple Linear Regression Model in the Shaho Area

Large areas of the ice-free continental area of the Earth are underlain by karst developed on carbonate rocks and roughly 20–25% of the global population depends largely or entirely on groundwaters obtained from them (Ford & Williams, 2007, 1). So that karst system has a critical role on the development of human communities all around the world. karst evolution is a complicated process and relates to numerous factors such as lithology, hydrology, hydrogeology and etc. Karst resources have widespread scientific, cultural and economic values. In developing countries, human activities threat these valuable and non renewable resources seriously. Nowadays decision makers in their plans for karstic areas in order to protect these valuable resources, regarding the intrinsic vulnerability of karst systems, attempt to propose methods and models for determine the degree of karstification and its sensitivities. Regional assessment of karst system vulnerability especially in the watersheds is a useful tool for management and protection of karstic areas and helps local authorities and decision makers to choose best policies to use karst recourses. In this paper a well known karstic area, called Shaho in the NW Zagros, using a multiple linear regression model has been studied for evaluating its vulnerability and design vulnerability maps.