Water Resources Suitability Model by Using GIS (Case Study: Borujerd Rangeland, Sarab Sefid)

Water resources suitability is one of the most important factors to sustainability utilization of natural potential by rangeland grazing suitability. To determine this factor in short time, low cost and high accuracy are most challenges of experts and ranchers. Using suitable technique for this subject can be sustainable utilization comprising from rangeland ecosystems according to its degradation and heavy grazing. This research was conducted in Boroujerd Sarab Sefid rangeland, Lorestan province, Iran from 2011 to 2012. Some factors such as slope, height and direction maps provided by using satellite images, basicinformation, analog and digitized maps such as; topographic and DEM (Digital ElevationModel). Also measurements of field were conducted by excursion and interview withherders to determine places of water resources such as permanent and temporary springsand permanent and temporary rivers too. Water resources area's map was prepared byusing Arc GIS9.3 software with integration of digitized information and field data. At theend water resources suitability were determined by using three sub models such asquantity, quality and distance from water resources. Results show that all of 16 plantvegetation types were dropped in І and П classes of water resources suitability whichdidn‟t have any limitation according to quantity and quality and distance of animalhusbandry and livestock. As a final conclusion this research shows that using RS and GIScould be useful to water resources suitability of rangeland ecosystems with low cost andhigh accuracy and speed, if consider standards and criteria of using GIS and RS.