Spatial Assessment of Watershed Vulnerability Based on Climatic Approach (Case study: Doroodzan Watershed. Fars Province)

A spatial survey of the degree of vulnerability is an important step in order to identify vulnerable areas and make decisions to protect natural resources and achieve sustainable development. Therefore. the present research the present study was conducted with the aim of spatially investigating the degree of vulnerability of Dorodzan Dam watershed in Fars’s province with a climatic approach.

Climatic data of 9 climatology station in the period 1991-2020 was used. indicators affecting the vulnerability of the watershed were extracted. including wet season. dry season. cold season temperature. hot season temperature. maximum wind speed. and height above sea level. After determining the aforementioned indicators. the overall vulnerability index (OVP) was calculated.

In this method. vulnerability indicates the performance. nature. rate of climate change in the watershed.  The results showed that the dry season index ranged from 6.40 to 66.19 mm for Chamriz and Emamzadeh Ismail stations and the wet season index ranged from 70.67 to 538.03 mm for Eghlid and Chamriz is variable. Also. the cold period index was 1.77 to 2.65 °C for Dorodzan and Zarghan stations. respectively. and the warm period index was 1.52 to 2.21 °C for Chamriz and Zarghan stations. respectively. The maximum wind speed index was calculated between 0.08 and 0.85 km/h for Eghlid and Dorodzan stations. respectively.  Altitude was also assessed.  The results based on the analysis of climatic indicators show that the total vulnerability index in the Dorodzan dam reservoir is between 25.7 to 34.2 and fall within reversible class.

Given the results obtained and considering the good Potential of this watershed. the need to consider management and preventive measures against drought and flood threats caused by climate change and human change is important. Considering that according to the standard of the mentioned method. the index is less than 40 in the reversible range. therefore. according to the location of the vulnerability index of the studied area with the climatic approach. it can be concluded that although the region has undergone many changes especially in recent years however. due to the slight changes in climatic indicators in the long term. this watershed is still far from the limits of resilience from physical aspects. and with the adoption of suitable management patterns. it has the ability to return to ideal conditions.The results of the research. in addition to expressing the importance of the effects of climate change. will help their application in the application of correct and compatible management with climate change in future watershed management policies.