The effect of stream power in the instability and morphological changes of Haji Arab River, Buin Zahra (Qazvin Province, Iran)

Abstract

The stream power is one of the important river variables which is used in morphological analysis. Therefore, the stream power determines both erosion and deposition. This research examines the stream power, instability and morphometric changes of the channel using the annual geomorphic energy (AGE) in Haji Arab River in Buin Zahra (Qazvin Province). The AGE is calculated by integrating the relationship between the excess specific stream power and discharge using a flow duration curve. The AGE values for each reach should be either positive or negative. Therefore, according to the differentials in AGE values, depositional and erosional reach are determined. In this paper, the results of the AGE method were compared with the rapid geomorphic assessments (RGA), including the channel stability indicators (CSI) model and OSEPI index. Also, the RHS method based on the field works was used to identify depositional and erosional geomorphic landforms. Comparing the results of the AGE with rapid RGA indices, shows that results of the OSEPI are more consistent with the erosional and depositional status of the reaches, based on the AGE. Spatial variations in lithology and structure, when combined with the course of the Haji Arab River indicate that channel morphometry locally reflects geological factors that have caused slope differences in different reaches. The calculated AGE values at different cross-sections have significant variability, reflecting characteristic local variation in bed slope, cross-section geometry and bed-sediment composition.