Assessment of the Geomorphological Effects of Human Activity in Russeifa District, Jordan (original) (raw)
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2014
The objective of this study is to analyze the changes of the lower Zarqa River basin during the time period from 1963 to 2011. The Zarqa river basin has been affected by water scarcity, frequent drought conditions which lead to the decadence of the discharge level of the Jordan River, which form the base level. The studied area is part of Jordan Rift Valley (JRV), and located 40 km from king Talal dam (KTD), and reach about 4 km in length. The data used for the analysis was the digital elevation model derived from SRTM and historical Air photo and topographic maps from 1963 and 1978. The interpretation was aimed to determine the changes patterns of the channel and valley characteristics that caused by the large reduction of water flow, and the increase of sediment concentration in the bed river. Parameters of analysis that has been taken place in the river properties were grouped into three categories as follows: (1) The Channel length, width, and meandering level. (2) The centerlin...
Using GIS Techniques to Study Morphometric Characteristics for Wadi Al-MLUSI/Western IRAQ
Eng. & Tech. Journal,, 2012
Numerous quantitative relationships have been formulated to describe the nature of surface-drainage networks. These relationships have been used in various studies of geomorphology and surface-water hydrology, such as flood characteristics, sediment yield, and evolution of basin morphology. The study area lies in west of Iraq, in Al-Anbar province. With an area of 2754.33 Km². And the geographic coordinates of the study area is (40°, 27` E-32°, 47` N). (44°, 34` E-33°, 36` N). DEM image were used with (90 m) resolution and the drawing tools in ARC GIS program to delineate the total basin of the study area and watersheds. We conclude that there were 31 watersheds in the study area and that group of parameters were calculated such as (Basin Area, Basin Length, Basin Diameter, Stream order Length, Differences between max and min Altitude, Elongation, Circularity, Stream Density, Basin Form, Relief). The study shows that the stream density was (8.481289828) Km/Km 2 which mean that the study area has a good discharge of water and sediments, the elongation in the study area is (0.511549442) and that mean the study area is closer to a rectangular shape, and the relief in the study area is (3.2816911) m/Km and it reflects that the study area had poor effects of erosion and weathering.
Evolving landscape and environment in Jordan
Jordan, an Archeological Reader, 2008
Th e following contribution examines aspects of the physiography of Jordan as a basis for understanding processes and events that infl uence population distribution and occupational environment, both at present and in the past. When attempting to examine landscape alone, it becomes clear that in any archaeological context, landscape cannot be removed from the broader physical setting and must be considered alongside hydrological and climatic factors. Of special signifi cance is the role of (palaeo)hydrology, since the availability of water is the one essential element without which ongoing occupation cannot exist, and which strongly infl uences the nature of that occupation, where it does exist. Th is chpater provides a description of the physiography of Jordan based largely on the physiographic provinces initially erected by Bender (1968, 1974, 1975), but with some modifi cations. For each province it examines and compares events from a small selection of well-documented sites, where the nature of long-term occupation refl ects strongly on the physical evolution of Jordan through time. In dealing with palaeoenvironmental reconstructions there are many diffi culties in comparing the palaeohydrology and palaeoclimatology from diff erent areas, and this is especially the case using archaeological evidence. One reason for this is that Palaeolithic man did not live in an average geographic setting, but instead chose those areas where he could best survive. Attempts at landscape and environmental reconstruction for a region based largely on geoarchaeological data are thus strongly biased by the favourable hydrological settings of the long-term occupation sites from which the most complete records come.
Land
Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) has been introduced into Jordan through the MEDSCAPES project. The purpose of this project was to streamline landscape studies and integrate them into the land use planning practices in Jordan. Two areas within the Mediterranean and arid climatic zones of the country were chosen as test areas for the methodology. These were the Yarmouk River drainage basin in the northwest of the country and the Mujib River area in the west of Jordan within the Dead Sea basin. Landscape Character Mapping resulted in 22 and 64 Land Description Units (LDUs) for the Yarmouk and Mujib areas, respectively, which were then classified into 14 landscape types. The factors which control the spatial distributions of these units are geology, land cover, landform, and settlements. However, the study suggests that the underlying geology, which influences topography, impacts indirectly on soil types, climate zones, and human activities, and hence has a predominant influence on the character of these units. Specifically, the transition between the Dead Sea Rift Valley and the adjacent highlands create variations in the topographical relief, climate, water availability, and human settlements. Implementation of LCA in Jordan has done much to highlight geological hazards, such as sinkholes, as constraints to development in certain areas. Here, we described how the LCA process could be implemented in Jordan and how this can help in improving land use management practices in the country.
Journal of Geography and Geology, 2014
The study aims to analyze the geomorphological variables that determine the magnitude of stream floods in Wadi Al-Hasa through the analysis of the characteristics of rainfall; the shape and areal dimensions of the basin; the topography of the surface; the gradient of the Valley; the characteristics of water discharge network; and the morphology and capacity of the channel. To achieve the objectives of the study, the Analytical Approach was adopted when examining stream floods. This approach is based on the analysis of the climatic information and the hydrological data available on stream floods in Wadi Al-Hasa; and the analysis of the morphometric, hydrological and vegetation measurements that have been extracted from the topographic maps, aerial photographs and field work. The study found several results including: the increasing likelihood of frequent flooding in the sub-reaches of Wadi Al-Hasa with the increase in their stream orders, as a result of the increase in the amount of water discharge. Moreover, the results of the statistical analysis of the stepwise regression showed the importance of the following variables: (the stream order, the gradient, the width of the river channel and vegetation) in explaining the variation in the volume of the water discharge of the river tributaries in the basin, as these variables interpreted about (53%) of the total variation. The study also found that there are three areas with increased likelihood of flooding in the basin, namely: the estuaries of the eastern tributaries in Qa' Al-Jinz area; the areas where western tributaries meet with higher stream orders; and the estuary area of the mainstream of Valley.
Fluvial adjustment of the Lower Jordan River to a drop in the Dead Sea level
Geomorphology, 2002
Water utilization in the upper part of the Jordan Basin has led to a significant reduction in inflow to the Dead Sea. Over the last 70 years, a drop of about 22 m in mean sea level has occurred and has resulted in a continual adjustment of the Lower Jordan River. The impacts of this lowering on the channel morphology of the Lower Jordan River were examined using aerial photographs. Until the late 1970s, the drop in the sea level was small but still led to channel extension. Since the early 1980s, a rapid drop in sea level took place leading to major changes in channel morphology and deep incisions. The greatest change in channel width was recorded near the river mouth. Between 1850 and 1980, there were only insignificant changes in channel sinuosity, but subsequently, a 25% increase of channel sinuosity has been recorded. Most of changes in the channel sinuosity were recorded in the newly exposed area. Over the last 30 years, the active channel width has narrowed by almost four times. Until the late 1980s, the channel was relatively stable with minor bank collapses and only one bar detected near the Jisr Abdallah. During the 1990s, a number of bars developed along the channel. The downcutting is in parallel with the sea level drop resulting in the development of terraces along the lower part of the study reach. In 1983, the channel incision reached 8 km upstream and by 1993 it was about 11 km. D (M.A. Hassan), m.klein@geo.haifa.ac.il (M. Klein). www.elsevier.com/locate/geomorph Geomorphology 45 (2002) 21 -33
Floodplain degradation and settlement history in Wadi al-Wala and Wadi ash-Shallalah, Jordan
Geomorphology, 2008
This study investigates a Mid-Holocene cycle of stream aggradation and incision in Wadi al-Wala and Wadi ash-Shallalah, western Jordan. Aggradation took place sometime between 7 ka and 6 ka, followed by stability as evidenced by a floodplain soil that was mantled by colluvial deposits between 4.6 and 4 ka. Stream incision around or after 4 ka eroded the floodplains. A second cycle of aggradation and incision occurred in the late Holocene, but this cycle is not synchronous between the two streams. Causes of the stream incision around 4 ka are hypothesized in the context of local geomorphological and hydrological characteristics, regional climatic change, Dead Sea level changes, and cultural landscape changes interpreted from archaeological and pollen records. In the context of available local and regional evidence, this study discusses the relation between Early Bronze Age settlement and stream degradation.
Proceedings of the T.I.Vyazemsky Karadag scientific station - Nature Reserve of the RAS, 2020
Theoretical base of human effects on geomorphological environment, the evolution of anthropogenic impacts and modern situation of human activity were analyzed in the studied area. On the base of supervised and unsupervised classification of the Landsat images (1976–2017) Land use-Land cover map of the territory was compiled. The dynamic and transformation of land covers were determined with the change detection function. It was defined that the most increasing land cover in the area of transformation since 1976 to 2017 is the sown area. Due to the anthropogenic development of the study area, the largest decrease in the area of exposed (33,85%) and saline (25,43%) land cover occurred during this period. Among the listed anthropogenic factors (oil and gas production, production of building materials, grazing, settlements, etc.), it is established that irrigation erosion has a wide radius of encirclement and a high degree of influence. With the application of Geographic Information System technologies, on the base of remote sensing data the density of the irrigation network has been computed and mapped. Ecogeomorphological assessment and zoning of the territory has been carried out. According to the comparative analysis of horizontal (stream network) and anthropogenic (irrigation network) fragmentation it was determined that the estimated maximum cost of anthropogenic fragmentation in the study area is 2,5 times higher than natural horizontal fragmentation..
Geomorphological Evidences of Climatic Changes in Northeastern Badia of Jordan
Wadi Muqat occupies the Central Wadian (The system of Wadis in the study area) Area, and forms the main drainage system of the Hammad Basin in the NE Badia region of Jordan. Its general drainage is towards the north and ultimately into Qaa’ Al-Musmma in Syria. The drainage patterns, which cover the area, include dendritic, subdendritic, distributary, anastomatic and multi basinal patterns with a coarse Wadi texture. Quaternary sediments in Wadi Muqat include a coarse alluvial Wadi deposits, alluvial fan deposits and fine-grained clay-silt Qaa’ deposits. Wadi and alluvial fan deposits are formed of locally derived debris of limestone, basalt and chert pebbles and gravels. A series of Qaa’s occur along Wadi Muqat and represent the site of laminated/varved clay-silt deposits indicating that these Qaa’s were occupied by lakes probably formed by natural blocking of the Wadi course by alluvial fans or any coarse Wadi deposits. These lakes are indicated not only by the type of Qaa’ deposits but, also by remnants of old shorelines in some places. They indicate a wetter climate during the Late Quaternary. Two main shorelines were determined and constructed for the lake of Wadi Muqat system by aerial photographs and field trips.
Przegląd Naukowy Inżynieria i Kształtowanie Środowiska
In northern Iraq, countless non-abuse stream valleys can be used to store water for a variety of purposes; domestic, supplementary irrigation, and recharging groundwater. Bandawaya is one of the stream valleys, which form the first perspective has excellent quality. The location of the suggested dam has been evaluated by hydrological and geotechnical studies. Geotechnical studies included measurement of all the parameters related to the rock mass classification for evaluation based on four classification systems, which are the Q-System, the rock mass rating (RMR), the geological strength index (GSI), and the rock mass index (RMi). The classification results indicated that the rocks of the valley are good for constructing a dam on them, with some weak zones that may affect the integrity of the dam, which the study recommended treating before starting the construction of the dam. According to preliminary studies on different dam’s heights the qualification demonstrates an excellent ch...