Status of water and soil ecosystem services after the implementation of watershed projects (case study: Zayandehroud- Chelkhaneh watershed)

Proper management of water and soil resources in a watershed requires recognition the potential of sediment production and runoff. In addition, every year thousands of tons of fertile soil from different lands of the country are unavailable due to soil erosion, and due to the wastage of water and accumulation in sedimentation areas, causes considerable damage. In this regard, the control of soil erosion and flood refers to the ability of ecosystems to conserve soil and water. Therefore, the current research is planned with the aim of evaluation the effectiveness of implementing watershed projects (1376- 1397) on the amount of soil erosion and flood discharge in Chehlkhaneh watershed. Soil erosion and flood discharge were estimated respectively using the MPSIC SCS method. The results showed that the implementation of watershed projects has led to the reduction of soil erosion and sediment (4.30 and 1.80 ton/h) compared to before the implementation of watershed operations (6.05 and 2.30 ton/h). Also, with the increase of the return period of floods, the effectiveness of watershed projects in controlling of watershed flood and reduction of discharge and flood volume increases.