Spatial and temporal variations of discharge and sediment loads concentration rate over some river gauge stations of West-Azarbaijan Province

Assessment of temporal and spatial variations of runoff and sediment is needed to sustainable management of watersheds, soil erosion and sediment control, and watershed conservation projects. The amount of discharge and sediment concentration rates were assessed in 15 river gauge stations located in the West-Azarbaijan Province in a 20-years recorded data using double-mass curve and annual variation analysis (coefficient of variations, annual distribution of regulating coefficient, and concentration rate). The logarithmic rating curve equation was used to sediment estimation according to the nature of discharge and sediment load variations. According to the results, the maximum discharge and sediment amount were observed in the May of spring season that can be related to the high amounts of snow melt and spring precipitation and associated high river flow discharge in the study area. The cumulative double mass curve of the runoff and sediment had a constant slope in the Pole-Bahramlou, Choplojeh, Sarighamish, Peighale, Naghadeh, Dorood, and Chapasabad stations, in which the sediment load is consistent with the runoff amounts. While, the decreasing pattern of sediment load was observed in the Dizaj, Urmia, Dashband, Ghasemlou, and Bayazidabad, which can be related to rainfall decrease and conservation measures (dam construction) and lower sediment amount in the study period. The highest coefficient of variation of runoff and sediment was observed in Pole-Bahramlou (16 and 173 percent), respectively. The highest monthly runoff-sediment uniformity was identified in Chaparabad station, where the lowest concentration rate of runoff and sediment were observed by 0.25 and 0.35 percent respectively; while, the Urmia station identified as a high rate of runoff and sediment concentration rate with 0.58 and 0.84 percent in the study area. It can be concluded that the seasonal variations of runoff and sediment had a consistent manner and some different spatial variations due to climatic, hydrologic and anthropogenic conditions.