Evaluation of the impacts of watershed management projects on flood hydrographs characteristics (Case study: Scenarios for the watershed upper the Kalat)

Authors
behnam hamed sepasi 1
mohamad taghi Dastorani 2
Mahmoud Azari 3
1 Master student in watershed management, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
2 Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
3 Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.
10.22034/wmji.2025.2038992.1084
Abstract
In order to investigate the effects of watershed management measures on flood characteristics, quantitative results can be obtained by simulating the flood hydrograph in the periods before and after these measures. The rainfall and runoff data were fitted with statistical distributions and return periods were obtained using Easy Fit software. 3 scenarios were defined for biological operations, 2 scenarios for structural actions, and 2 scenarios for combined (biological- structural) operations. With the help of Arc GIS and HEC-HMS programs, the dimensions of reservoirs and structures, flood hydrographs and flood trends in the reservoir were calculated. The results of the biological, structural and integrated scenarios in the reduction of the peak flow compared to the initial peak flow, respectively, for the return periods below 10 years - above 10 years on average, 18 - 15, 56 - 54 and 62 – 60 percent, respectively, indicates a decrease. As a result, the biological scenarios are most effective for the floods with the return period up to 10 years, and after that it is decreasing. Structural scenarios have a steady trend in reducing the peak discharge with the increase of the return period and also, the reduction of flood volume in this scenario is very small. Combined scenarios have a steady trend in reducing the peak discharge with increasing return period, but in the case of reducing flood volume, it remains constant until the return period of 10 years, and after 10 years, its efficiency decreases.
Keywords
flood adjustment
flood hydrograph
flood control
biological measures
mechanical measures
hydrological models
watershed management
peak discharge and flood control
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