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Rainfall Erosivity and Vegetation Dynamics for Sediment Management in Rainwater-Harvesting Systems of the Deli Watershed
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Amin Zoratipour *    , Kohzad Heidary |
| Department of Nature Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture |
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Abstract: (301 Views) |
| Sediment is a recurrent operational constraint in rainwater-harvesting and small watershed management systems. This study examined annual RUSLE-based erosion response in the 105.20 km² Deli watershed, Iran, during 2005–2025 to quantify its internal associations with rainfall erosivity and vegetation-derived surface protection. The analysis combined 1,416 Landsat scenes, CHIRPS rainfall, a 30 m digital elevation model and OpenLandMap soil data. Annual series were analysed using Sen’s slope, Mann–Kendall and Pettitt tests, and Spearman correlation. Rainfall erosivity ranged from 505.78 to 3,889.56 MJ mm ha⁻¹ h⁻¹ yr⁻¹ without a significant monotonic trend (p = 0.349). The cover-management factor declined significantly (Sen’s slope = −0.00267 yr⁻¹; p = 0.0012), with a downward change between 2013 and 2014 (p = 0.0067). Modelled erosion response ranged from 138.33 to 1,040.20 nominal t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and had no significant trend. Its association with rainfall erosivity was strong (ρ = 0.981), whereas its association with the basin-mean C factor was not significant (ρ = −0.071). These are internal model diagnostics, not independent validation or causal effects. A four-state rainfall–protection classification supports the timing of inspections and maintenance, but estimating sediment delivery and evaluating existing structures require field measurements and a verified as-built inventory. |
Article number: 7 |
| Keywords: Change-point detection, Extreme years, Modified Fournier index, Multi-sensor monitoring, Operational sediment control |
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/08/25 | Revised: 2026/10/20 | Accepted: 2026/10/15 | ePublished ahead of print: 2026/10/15
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