Lithfacies Analysis and Depositional Model of Lateshur River, South East Tehran

The Lateshur Watershed is a part of Central Iranian drainage basin located northeast of the city of Pakdasht in northeastern Tehran Province. This watershed has an elongate form and its surface area is more than 22.2 square kilometer. It is a part of central Alborz zone and geologically is composed of Neogen red beds units, Hezardareh Formation and Quaternary alluviums. Geomorphologic studies show that this watershed is within an anticline and surrounded by Dahaneh Mountains in the south and Gara-aghaj Mountains in the north respectively. Structural and lithological variability have a very important role in the formation of this watershed; therefore, the watershed has the same trend as structures (NW-SE). Based on this study, the Lateshur River has a braided pattern with gravelly bed. Sedimentological studies along rivers in Lateshur basin show that three basic factor (sudden changes in slope gradient, floods events and distributaries) are the main reasons for changes in texture of bed load sediments within the channel as well as the break in sedimentary links. Lithofacies identified in this watershed include gravelly (Gmm, Gmg, Gcm, Gt), sandy (Sp, Sm, St, Sh) and muddy (Fl, Fr). Based on lithofacies, Boundary surface and current direction architecture elements identified in main river of Lateshur basins include: (1) Gravel bars and Bed forms [Element GB], (2) Lateral Accretion deposits [Element LA], (3) Sandy bed forms [Element SB] and (4) Fine grain classtic deposits [Element FF]. Also, based an lithofacies and architectural elements, Facies models have been purposed for the Lateshur river from upstream toward downstream as fallows: Shallow gravel braided river, Gravel wandering river, Gravel bed meandering river, Sandy meandering rive and Fining grain meandering river.