Assessment of the morphological quality of the Khorramrod River, case study: upper and lower segments of Khorramabad city, Lorestan province

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph. D student in Geomorphology, Department of Physical Geography, Earth Sciences Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University,Tehran

2 Associated Professor, Department of Physical Geography, Earth Sciences Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran

Abstract

The Khorramroud River has undergone significant transformations over the past few decades, both at the basin level and within the channel itself. Due to its location in the densely populated area of Khorramabad and its proximity to numerous rural settlements, this river poses risks such as the loss of agricultural lands and increased vulnerability of nearby infrastructure and buildings. The geomorphic processes affecting the river—such as sediment deposition, channel expansion, and bank erosion—are particularly critical in this mountainous region, where their impacts may surpass those of flooding events. Understanding the morphological state of this river can enhance awareness and contribute to its restoration efforts.

This study aimed to evaluate the morphological quality of the Khorram River using the rMQI method over the period 2006–2025. The results indicated that the morphological quality of the Khorram River is poor in the northern section (63.95%) and the southern section (57.65%). Findings revealed that, in the northern section, out of six studied reaches, reaches 1, 3 and 4 fall into the poor quality class, while reaches 5 and 6 are classified as very poor. The evaluation of seven reaches in the southern section showed that only reach 4 has moderate quality, whereas the other reaches (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7) are classified as poor in terms of morphological quality. Additionally, the study demonstrated that the Khorram River is experiencing fragile conditions, which may worsen due to the persistence of these conditions and intensification of pressure indices in certain cases.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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History

  • Receive Date: 05 April 2025
  • Revise Date: 31 May 2025
  • Accept Date: 01 June 2025

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