Sub-basin prioritization suing morphometric analysis and GIS for Watershed Management Measures (Case study: Maraveh Tappeh watershed, Golestan)

Sub basin prioritization is one of the integrated watershed management and sustainable development strategies. To protect natural resources, through marking zones of potential damage in small areas for is a primary need sustainable development. Degradation potential zones project for watershed protection measures is not cost-effective economically. So this is a prerequisite for sub basin prioritization. Morphometric analysis has received great deal of attention thanks to low cost and productivity. So the present research aims to prioritize subbasins of Marave tappeh basin in Golestan province using morphometric and GIS. in morphometric analysis parameters, compression ratio, roundness factor, form factor, elongation factor, frequency, channels, drainage density, branching ratio, drainage texture, shape, area, length and duration of current flow are calculated through the ground and Arc Hydro ARCGIS. These parameter are divided into linear (directly related to erosion) and shape parameters (inversely related to erosion). Finally, each sub-basin was prioritized given total morphpmetric parameters and sub-basin C3 was found to be critical and Cint1 was much more suitable than others. Field studies illustrate that as subbasin C3 has highest erosion rate and poor soil condition ( Hydrological group C). So such researches are low-cost and fast by which watersheds are prioritized to management measures.