Studying the effect of hydromorphological characteristics of the watershed on the discharge of qanats (Study area: Bagheran Rural District, Birjand County)

Jafari, Ali; Chezgi, Javad; Memarian, Hadi; Rostampour, Moslem

doi:10.22077/jaaq.2025.9038.1103

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ MSc Student, Department of Pasture and Watershed, Natural Resources and Environment, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran..

² Associate Professor, Department of Pasture and Watershed, Natural Resources and Environment, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.

10.22077/jaaq.2025.9038.1103

Abstract

As a masterpiece of ancient Iranian water engineering, qanats have played a vital role in the desert province of South Khorasan and are known as one of the most important sources of agricultural and drinking water supply in Birjand County; Studying the status of water resources and obtaining a water database in watersheds, especially in various desert areas, is of great value, which can lead to correct and fundamental decisions to solve the problem of water shortage in these areas. For this purpose, studying and analyzing the effects of hydro morphological characteristics on qanat discharge is of great importance. In this research, to study the effect of hydro morphological characteristics of the watershed on the discharge of qanats, a case study was conducted on the discharge of 32 qanats in Bagheran Rural District, Birjand County, located in South Khorasan Province. In line with this goal, using topographic maps and satellite images, morphometric parameters such as channel rank, main channel length, surface flow length, shape coefficient, concentration time, average slope of the main channel, main slope of the watershed, upstream watershed area and the environment of the watershed under study were calculated. The results of the studies conducted on 32 qanats in Bagheran Rural District show that, based on the principal component analysis (PCA) method, the concentration time parameter and average slope of the main channel have the greatest impact on the discharge of the qanats in the study area. It is suggested that biological and biomechanical methods (floor dams)

Keywords

Main Subjects

ًQanat and aquifer

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Studying the effect of hydromorphological characteristics of the watershed on the discharge of qanats (Study area: Bagheran Rural District, Birjand County)

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Volume 6, Issue 1 - Serial Number 10October 2025Pages 21-40

Volume 6, Issue 1 - Serial Number 10
October 2025
Pages 21-40