Assessment and Analysis of the KoozehTopraghi Watershed Health Status, Ardabil Province, Iran

The present research was conducted to evaluate the health of the KoozehTopraghi Watershed in Ardabil Province using 27 criteria analysis related to different hydrological, anthropogenic and climatic aspects. For this purpose, base regional data including hydrology, erosion and sediment, economic, social and climatic data were collected and analyzed from previous reports. Then, according to the nature of the data used, several appropriate databases were prepared in Fragstats 4.2.1, Excel 2016, IBM SPSS Statistics 25 and ArcGIS 10.6 softwares. Then, using the principles governing the conceptual model of pressure-state-response (PSR), the status and spatial variations of the watershed health were evaluated at 36 sub-watersheds level. Different degrees of watershed health were classified into five categories: healthy, relatively healthy, moderately healthy, relatively unhealthy and unhealthy. Based on the results analysis, it was found that this watershed is in average health condition. Also, the values of pressure, state and response indicators were 0.46, 0.55 and 0.31, respectively. The mean score of comprehensive watershed health assessment index is 0.41. The maximum value of comprehensive watershed health index was 0.66 for sub-watersheds 8 and 12 and the minimum value for this index was 0.14 for sub-watershed 26. The eastern and southeastern part of the watershed is relatively healthy and moderately healthy and the watershed health status was better in the western and northern parts. The results of the present study are applicable to identifying and restoration priority areas and guiding management strategies in terms of water and soil resources at national and regional levels.