Conceptualization and Evaluation of Asiabrood Watershed Health, Chalus Township, Iran

The present study was conducted to conceptualize and evaluate the health of the Asiabrood Watershed in Chalus Township, Mazandaran Province, Iran.

The existing regional data, including climatic, hydrologic, erosion, sedimentation, and economic and social data, were collected and analyzed. In addition, several field visits were also made to make a general assessment of the ecological, economic, and social situation of the region and to complete the information on the study watershed. Then, the watershed health was assessed using the conceptual model of pressure, state, and response at the sub-watershed scale. Accordingly, the pressure index was first investigated by analyzing the driving forces of human activities and climate change over the study watershed. Then, the current state of the natural environment and the watershed performance to the pressures was analyzed as the status index. Further, the response index of the Asiabrood Watershed was calculated as a criterion for expressing the degree of community response or different outcomes of the watershed to the changes and concerns imposed on the watershed system.

 The results showed that the total health index of the Asiabrood Watershed with respective and relative contributions of pressure, state, and response indices of 18, 39, and 43% and an overall health index of 0.50 has a moderate health condition.

Although the health status of the Asiabrood Watershed is in moderate condition, the health status of the study watershed may decline, and, of course, adverse responses are possible if appropriate management policies are not adopted.