Raoof Mostafazadeh

University of Mohaghegh Ardabili | UMA · Department of Rangeland and Watershed Management

This research has concentrated on the physical and socio-economic impacts of vegetation-based management scenarios targeting on flooding and soil erosion issues in the Ramian watersheds. The Ramian watershed with an approximate area of 24000 ha is located in Golestan, Iran. For each sub-watershed, four biological actions (activities) and 16 managem...

Suspended sediment load (SSL) records in streams can be highly variable in time and space, making it difficult to quantify sediment fluxes and to discriminate particular patterns. The deep study on effective factors and their variability in different time scales is, therefore, a vital task. In the present study, the variability of precipitation and...

The land use dynamic method is among different available methods and approaches to evaluate the LULC change over a given period of time. In this research, satellite imagery has been used to map land cover in 1984, 1992, 2000, 2008, and 2016 years through the maximum likelihood supervised classification method in Meshginshahr, Iran. Based on the res...

The objective of the present study was to investigate the temporal changes of the river flow pattern using Colwell Indices (CIs) in rivers originating from the Sabalan mountainous. The simultaneous hydro-climatic and river flow data were used to determine the distinct periods of flow regimes. Then the flow statistics and CIs (Predictability, Consta...

Land-use change is one of the main threats to the environment and natural resources nowadays. Dealing with the impacts of landscape change and its better management needs up-todate information and data about the rate and amount of changes in different land-use types and spatial configurations. Remote sensing and landscape assessment provide diverse...

Land use changes are of critical importance in understanding and managing environmental sustainability and resource utilization. Machine learning algorithms (MLAs) have emerged as powerful tools for analyzing and predicting land use changes, offering the potential to uncover patterns and trends that may not be readily apparent through traditional m...

Extended Abstract Introduction Runoff and the rainfall-runoff relationship are one of the most fundamental research topics in hydrology. Due to the increasing trend of flood occurrence and the esulting damages, it is necessary to determine the flood�producing priority areas and prioritize the sub-watersheds in terms of flood control projects and i...

Extended Abstract Introduction Determining the extent of riverbank erosion and displaying it as a map in a GIS environment is effective in the optimal management of water and soil resources. The aim of the current research is to delineate the riverbank erosion zone from aerial photographs, perform regression modeling, and identify factors influenci...

Extended Abstract Introduction Identifying landslide risk involves complex interactions of internal and external factors. It poses a significant challenge for local governments and decision-makers and is valuable for assessing a region's susceptibility to landslides. Predicting the location and creating landslide hazard maps are crucial initial ste...

The presence of tourists may lead to environmental damage and vandalism, which can affect local community and tourist relationships, leading to dissatisfaction. The persistence of vandalism in natural environments can lead to detrimental effects; hence, identifying its triggering and inhibitory factors is crucial. The Fandoqhlou Forest region, as a...

The growing population and expansion of rural activities, along with changing climatic patterns and the need for water during drought periods, have led to a rise in the water demand worldwide. As a result, the construction of water storage structures such as dams has increased in recent years to meet the water needs. However, dam construction can b...

Groundwater serves as the primary source of drinking water in Afghanistan; however, there is limited understanding of groundwater resources across the country. This study aims to quantitatively assess groundwater dynamics in Herat Province over five years (2017-2021) and analyze changes in groundwater levels across key districts. Data were collecte...

Urban planning is essential for managing the diverse impacts of urban green spaces, such as public access, stormwater control, urban life quality, and landscape aesthetics, promoting sustainable urban development and urban residents’ well-being by integrating green space considerations into city planning. The aim of this study is to use graph-based...

Aim: Erosion is a critical geomorphological process with significant environmental implications, including land degradation, fertility loss, and negative effects on aquatic ecosystems. It is recognized as an environmental hazard due to the substantial damages it can cause. Materials & Methods: This research uses geomorphometric indicators and a fuz...

Introduction and Goal In hydrological and water resources studies, the understanding of water balance components and changes holds great significance. Climate changes and human activities affect runoff changes, water resources management and sustainable development of society. In this regard, the current research was conducted with the aim of deter...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive accuracy of habitat suitability models, identifying the potential distribution range of Dorema ammoniacum, and its habitat requirements in the rangelands of Yazd province, central Iran. Bafgh, Mehriz and Nadoushan, were three habitats that were identified, and sampling was conducted in each h...

Given the rapid urbanization, the spatial patterns of green spaces in urban environments have undergone significant changes. This study aims to assess the quantitative changes and spatial patterns of green spaces in the city of Salmas using a landscape ecology approach. To achieve this, green space maps of Salmas from Google Earth Engine imagery fo...

Due to the proximity to natural resources and the environment around them, the villages are most affected by the environment and are of great importance. The improper rural development poses enormous environmental challenges such as degradation of rangelands and forests, overexploitation of soil and water resources and threats to wildlife. Of cours...

Introduction The increase in population and changes in climate patterns have led to the construction of water storage structures to meet the water demand in many regions worldwide, including Iran. Consequently, the hydrological regimes of rivers in various parts of Iran, due to human activities such as dam construction, have undergone alterations i...

This study aims to investigate the impact of forest exploitation methods on monthly discharge and hydrological indices of river flow using graphical methods in a forested watershed in North Iran. To achieve this, 10 hydrological index changes related to river flow regime influenced by the Shelterwood/clear cutting, Femel cutting, and the Near Natur...

Soil erosion is one of the most important geomorphological processes on the earth's surface, which has accelerated due to human intervention. This process causes many damages such as loss of fertile soils, destruction of infrastructure and filling of dams. In the assessment of soil erosion, several factors should be used in a combined and integrate...

To mitigate land degradation and desertification as an environmntal issue, it is crucial to monitor land degradation intensities, identify influential factors, and implement necessary measures. This study utilized remote sensing data and logistic regression modeling to assess desertification in Larestan County. Multiple indicators were considered i...

Optimal land use relies on understanding land use patterns and their changes over time. Land use typically refers to how humans utilize land, emphasizing its role in economic activities. Today, remote sensing technology is a key tool for monitoring land use. This study aims to create land use maps for the Firozabad Khalkhal region for the years 200...

Studying Land Surface Temperature (LST) provides various scientific, environmental, and practical advantages. It aids climate monitoring, urban heat island studies, environmental assessments, agriculture, urban planning, infrastructure development, and remote sensing. Algorithm selection depends on research constraints and goals, considering differ...

Introduction: With the outbreak of the coronavirus and the disruption of the normal state of human life and death, the most social, economic, political, and especially educational activities changed to virtual communications. In all past periods, learning and acquiring knowledge have been essential and played a significant role in the progress of t...

Through a multi-dimensional approach, this research explores the response of semi-arid watersheds to ecological disturbances caused by human activities. To accomplish this objective, we selected a pilot area situated in the Ardabil Province (Iran), and a total of 29 different driving forces (D1-D29) were identified. Subsequently, two statistical te...

Objective: Climate change and its consequences have become a threat to the planet, the natural and man-made environment, and it leads to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, global warming. In recent decades, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased, and this factor of climate change, such as temperature, has decreased. One...

Dam construction and operation may affect water quality parameters, as it regulates river flow and changes the river flow regime. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate variations of water quality parameters in Gharehsou and Balikhlouchai rivers due to the construction of Yamchi and Sabalan dams using AqQA software. This study asse...

Introduction Resolving social, economic and ecological challenges, analyzing the relationships between stakeholders and their surrounding environment is one of the requirements for empowering rangeland users. The interaction of humans and nature is defined as socio-ecological systems. Vulnerability, resilience and adaptive capacity have been identi...

The intensity of soil erosion is variable in different times and places, and temporal changes can be short-term or long-term. Due to changes in the amount and frequency of precipitation throughout the year, the intensity of erosion fluctuates. Because knowing these fluctuations and knowing monthly soil erosion changes throughout the year is necessa...

Aim: The main purpose of this study was to mapping the canopy cover (CC) and the aboveground net primary production (ANPP) of plant life forms by the independent factor of physiographic in the rangelands of Ardabil province. Material & Method: First, according to plant types and environmental factors, sampling was taken at the peak stage of plant g...

Assessing and monitoring ecosystem health are critical components of ecosystem management as they provide information on natural resource destruction and the causes and factors leading to it. The need for comprehensive and multidimensional indices for assessing and predicting the status of ecosystems has become increasingly important. The ecosystem...

The Master Recession Curve (MRC) is a crucial tool for evaluating, managing, and utilizing rivers, particularly under low-flow conditions. Analyzing changes in the MRC of river flow is useful for water resource planning, surface water utilization, and estimating and allocating environmental flow. This study utilized daily flow data from rivers in A...

Extended Abstract Introduction Determining the runoff coefficient in a distributed way can be used to identify the runoff producing areas. The runoff coefficient represents the ratio of runoff to total precipitation in different areas, where the previous soil moisture is not taken into account. The runoff coefficient without considering the effect...

To manage natural resources in a watershed area, it is essential to evaluate its environmental carrying capacity (ECC) and consider it for sustainable watershed management. This study evaluated the ECC of 27 sub-watersheds in the Gharesou watershed, Ardabil province, which has diverse land use practices and high population density. The study consid...

Abstract Introduction Base flow is one of the most important criteria which is used for assessment, utilization and management of river flow in drought periods. The base flow amount and its variations depends on several factors. Base flow modeling and estimation can be used in assessment of river health as well as planning of surface water utiliza...

Abstract: Background: Assessing the changes in public attitudes toward pandemics is crucial in adapting public health strategies to changing circumstances. This study aims to assess the community’s attitude toward the COVID-19 pandemic using the Social Profile Ratio (SPR) method among different occupational groups in Ardabil province. Methods: Empl...

Extended Abstract Introduction Quantifying the unique patterns in geomorphic, geological, and hydrological studies is considered crucial. Fractal geometry is a beneficial tool in examining changes in linear structures such as faults, waterways, and meandering rivers. Fractals are objects or processes that exhibit identical appearance or behavior in...

Introduction Drought is one of the natural hazards whose consequences and effects on social, economic, water resources and agriculture can be significantly revealed. Although the occurrence of drought is inevitable, it can be planned by anticipating a reduction in its devastating effects on the economy, society and the environment. The purpose of t...

Improper use of water resources has caused significant changes in Natural River Flow (NRF), which indicates the need to assess changes in Hydrological Indicators (HI) and Environmental Flow Components (EFC). This study quantitatively assessed 26 Hydrological Indices (HI) and 21 Effective Flow Components (EFC) at four river gauge stations in Ardabil...

1-Introduction As a dynamic system, the river always changes its location and morphological characteristics according to time, geomorphic, geological, hydrological factors and as a result of human intervention. One of the most important goals of water resources management is the wise use of water resources in such a way that the functions and value...

Introduction Runoff and the rainfall-runoff relationship are one of the most fundamental research topics in hydrology. Due to the increasing trend of flood occurrence and the resulting damages, it is necessary to determine the flood-producing priority areas and prioritize the sub-watersheds in terms of flood control projects and integrated manageme...

Land use have emerged as a pivotal ecological challenge, contributing to the decline of biodiversity. The aim of this study was to simulate river flow and its components in response to corresponding changes in land use. The initial phase involved monthly-based simulations employing the SWAT model and the SUFI2 module within the SWAT-CUP model. Subs...

In our country, more than 90% of water, is used in agriculture. The aim of this research, is to extract the changes of cultivation pattern water use, in some regions of the northwest of the country, as a function of climatic parameters. In first step, the meteorological data of Urmia, Makoo, Maragheh, Mianeh and Khalkhal stations were collected. In...

Water resources management needs to consider the effects of climate change on its main hydrologic cycle components. Therefore, the present study was conducted to analyze the impact of high and low flow variables from rainfall and temperature changes in the rivers of Sabalan in Ardabil Province. The rainfall and temperature gauge stations correspond...

Extended Abstract Statement of the Problem: Floods are a devastating natural disaster that can cause soil erosion, soil wastage, and damage to human infrastructure in flood-prone areas of watersheds. Therefore, it is crucial to predict and determine the amount of runoff production processes and its safe transfer to the outlet of the watershed. Var...

The enormous heterogeneity and complexity of landscape patterns and their linkage with the hydrological responses have rarely been quantified and cataloged, especially in ungauged regions. This research therefore linked the landscape characteristics to hydrological processes using a newly developed runoff landscape index (RLI) at the watershed scal...

Large flood events occurrence such as the 18 March 2019 flood event in the city of Gonbad in Golestan Province has been often associated with socioeconomic and ecologic damages. The aim of this research is to simulate flood hydrograph using the HEC-HMS hydrological model and to evaluate model performance at the Arazkuseh Watershed outlet, located i...

Background and Objective: It is difficult to formulate a comprehensive plan for the development of agriculture, natural resources, and watershed management to identify all the needs and issues of different stakeholders, separately. To this end, using of policy profile as a valuable tool in the watershed planning process could be helpful to identify...

Introduction: Heterogeneous spatio-temporal distribution of fresh water and rapid population growth have caused issues in water resources management. Therefore, mathematical models have been developed to study complex hydrological processes. The processes related to the water cycle have relatively complex relationships, as well as very extensive an...

Introduction and Objective Awareness of the pattern of spatial and temporal variations of the rainfall erosivity is essential for improving soil erosion estimates, especially considering snow cover in different months. In the Caspian Sea Basin, due to the low distance between mountain regions and rainy plain, estimation of rainfall erosivity factor...

This research utilized remote sensing (RS) technology to analyze and monitor land use land cover (LULC) and climate change. This work mainly involves three components: (i) investigating the historical trends of LULC and land surface temperature (LST) using Landsat data for 1990, 2005, and 2020. (ii)Evaluate the impact of climate change on urban tem...

Introduction Landslide, as an important natural hazard, causes damage to infrastructure and leads to economic, social and human losses. In this regard, determining the critical zones of landslides occurrence can be used in planning for damage reduction. Landslides, as one of the most important natural hazards, are the result of many geodynamic proc...

In Iran, similar to other developing countries, groundwater quality has been seriously threatened. Therefore, this study aimed to apply Machine Learning Algorithms (MLAs) in Groundwater Quality Modeling (GQM) and determine the optimal algorithm using the Best-Worst Method (BWM) in Ardabil province, Iran. Groundwater quality parameters included calc...

In recent years, environmental issues such as global warming and climate change have led to an increased focus on finding solutions to reduce its impacts, especially in urban areas. Remote sensing data have become an increasingly popular tool for conducting environmental assessment studies. The objective of this study was to assess and analyze the...

Floods are one of the most destructive natural disasters that endanger social and economic conditions more than any other natural disaster. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of analyzing the monthly and seasonal flood distribution in the different return periods in some river gauge stations of Ardabil Province. In this way, th...

This research aimed to study the contribution of main land uses in soil erosion and sediment yield in the Hyrcanian forest watersheds using the integration of the G2loss model and sediment fingerprinting technique. In order to prepare a soil erosion map in the study area, the input factors of the G2loss model were prepared in appropriate spatial an...

Extended Abstract Introduction The changes in the river flow regime are the main factor in the stability of the river ecosystem and may change due to factors such as dam construction, water abstraction, flow diversion, and climate change. The hydrological regime of the river is the main driving force of ecosystem dynamics and river functioning. In...

Abstract Introduction Indicators based on the analysis of flow duration curves can be used to derive changes in hydrological response due to climatic parameters and human activities. The purpose of this study is to determine flood and low flow parameters using flow duration curves. The trend detection technique is a useful tool for determining te...

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative resilience of the Samian watershed located in Ardabil province using five indicators including specific erosion and sediment, drought, flood potential, climate, and socio-economic in different weighting conditions. At the equal weighting, the average relative resilience index of Samian Wat...

Introduction: The main effect of vegetation in the rivers course is on the flow velocity. The velocity is affected by different vegetation type such as shrub, bush and grass-like in the bed, river side and floodplain. The water velocity at a river channel cross-section tends to decrease, due to the effects of vegetation stems and leaves by the flow...

Background and Aim: Drought is a global phenomenon that can occur anywhere and cause significant damage to humans and natural ecosystems. Therefore, the issue of hydrological drought and reduction of river flow in Ardabil province is also an important issue that requires a comprehensive study. Method: In this study, hydrological drought characteris...

Streamflow simulation in watersheds is necessary to runoff management and understanding watershed response. Different hydrological models were developed for rainfall-runoff modelling. The BILAN model was used to simulate daily runoff in 23 river gauge stations in a 20-year period using observed rainfall, temperature, humidity and discharge time ser...

Extended Abstract Introduction and Objective: The severity and frequency of floods, depends on watershed characteristics, including shape, slope, drainage density and terrain parameters. Also, hydrological characteristics such as rainfall, storage, interception, infiltration, and anthropogenic activities can intensify or reduce the flood losses. De...

Aim: Water resource planning in different world countries is based on the potential surface resource availability. Land use changes, especially in watersheds that include cities and population centers, strongly affect the quantity of water. This study aims to determine land use/land cover changes in the Samian watershed, Ardabil. Also, investigatin...

Estimating the natural flow regime of a river is crucial for water resource management. Understanding the temporal and spatial distribution of river flow can greatly assist decision-makers in water resource management. This study aims to analyze changes in the Water Year Classification Index (WYCI) at 31 hydrological stations in Ardabil province (1...

Background and Aim: In order to understand the impacts of watershed management (WM) measures and their effect in solving the socioeconomic and environmental problems of region, it is necessary to evaluate these measures to improve future activities in watersheds. One of the important aspects in the watershed management decision making (DM) is to co...

The quantity and quality of river flow is one of the factors that are related to the health of humans and living organisms, and it is strongly affected by watershed activities, which are naturally or artificially caused by hu-man activities. In this regard, it is necessary to evaluate the effects of human activities on river flow regime to optimall...

The development of human societies has altered the landscape of the watershed through remedial activities, industrialization, and urbanization, causing significant changes in a wide range of hydrological, climatic, ecological, and socio-economic functions. This, in turn, has had significant consequences on resources and ecosystems. Therefore, in th...

Examining the relationship between factors affecting the amount of sediment production is essential in understanding the erosion process and watershed response. The aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between runoff and sediment components and some soil properties in the geological formations of a watershed in a semi-arid climat...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the temporal variations of vegetation cover of Gharesou River riparian area in Ardabil province using landscape metrics over a period of 8 years which is important for morphology assessment and river ecosystem protection planning and management. The Google Earth imagery for the years 2011, 2016, 2019 due to...