Analyzing structural sediment connectivity pattern in Taham Watershed, Iran

Comprehensive watershed management programs need to take into account the sediment and related process in sediment management paradigm. Whilst, the dominant processes on sediment yield has not been considered in watershed scale yet. Accordingly, sediment connectivity is an emerging concept in sediment management that has been accounted in recent years to investigate the sediment transfer from different sections of watersheds. Sediment connectivity is defined as the integrated transfer of sediment across all possible sources to all potential sinks in a system over the continuum of detachment, transport and deposition processes. The structural connectivity is therefore a concept derived from sediment connectivity which investigates potential of sediment particles displacement across a watershed on the base of anatomy of watershed's system. Naturally, identifying sectors with similar sediment connectivity patterns support applying similar and integrated sediment control mitigation strategies. The present research was planned to investigate the structural sediment connectivity in Taham Watershed in Zanjan Province for year 2014. To calculate the structural sediment connectivity, the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and C Factor layers were used and the results were assessed according to field observations and surveying in several times. The results of the validity of the structural sediment connectivity map showed there were acceptable agreement between Field Index of Connectivity (FIC) and Index of Connectivity (IC). In addition, IC map with respective max, min and mean values of 1.02, -8.24 and -5.95, showed 32 percent of the study area had a high structural sediment connectivity that generally have been dispersed in western parts of the study area. Regarding to rapid appraisal and being low cost of IC calculation as well as identification of primary sediment sources, the structural sediment connectivity is a very useful concept for sediment management of watersheds of Iran.