Journal of Natural Environment

Journal of Natural Environment

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Korganroud Watershed, Using Landscape Degradation Model

Authors
Mehdi Sheikh Goodarzi
Afshin Alizadeh shabani
Abdolrasoul Salman mahini
Jahangir Feghhi
10.22059/jne.2012.29604
Abstract
Environmental degradation model is one of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) methods in which ecological cumulative effects of human activities on his surrounding nature could be evaluated and quantified. As a special trait of Landscape Ecological Metrics is the ability of rapid assess and recognize of human activities in the shortest time. Thus in this study, we used a landscape degradation model to environmental impact assessment and degradation analysis of Korganroud watershed. To achieve this goal, the study area was divided into 12 sub-watershed depend on river system, as a working unit. In next step the ecological vulnerability, degradation factor and its intensity was computed for each region, using Landscape ecological metrics and classified depend on median. By using degradation table and importing model component, degradation coefficient was calculated and classified for each zone. By this way, each zone was ranked and Compared by degradation state into development and conservation level. Finally, from whole study area, 32% prone to further development level 1 and 27% level 2, 21% need to be rehabilitated and 20% area that needs for conservation, are measured.
Keywords
Ecological Vulnerability
Environmental impact assessment (EIA)
Korganroud watershed
Landscape degradation model
Journal of Natural Environment
Volume 65, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
Summer 2012
Pages 223-234