Decision Support Tool for Determination of WMPs Optimal Pattern (Case Study: Taleghan Reservoir Dam Watershed)

Watershed management practices (WMPs) include methods to create, enhance, and maintain vegetation to reduce surface runoff in the watershed. The implementation of WMPs at the watershed scale is an ongoing challenge that needs to take into account trade-offs between hydrological and economic objectives using optimization algorithm. This research demonstrate a methodology and decision support tool that suggests the optimal location of biological watershed management practices (including improvement rangeland cover) which minimize the cost and simultaneously reduce surface runoff to target levels cases (i.e. 10%, 15%, 20% and, 25%) at watershed scale. The decision support tool (SWAT-GA) consists of a semi-distributed hydrologic model, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) which simulation of runoff in watershed, a genetic algorithm (GA), which serves as the optimization engine for the location of biological watershed management practices across the rangeland of the watershed. The proposed method was then applied to Taleghan watershed with an approximate area of 900 km2 that located in Alborz Mountain, Iran. Results indicate watershed management practices should use in 22%, 35%, 48% and 62% of total area of watershed to reduction 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%, respectively. The maximum decrease and increase runoff after the implementation of WMPs have been occurring in the spring and summer, respectively. Using this decision support tool, for each level of target goals, decision makers can select the optimal combination of watershed management practices.