Locating underground dam with the aim of supplying water to the iron ore mine of Sangan, Khaf

Water supply for mines is an important concern in areas affected by high water stress such as Sangan iron ore mine. In such a situation, one of the methods to control and store water in wet periods for use in dry periods is the construction of underground dams. Due to the multitude of influencing parameters and difficulty of making a decision about suitable locations for the construction of underground, applying Geographic Information System and analytical hierarchy process methods have been proposed. For this purpose, factors such as lithology, slope, land use, aquifer and city boundary, and distance from the village, fault, roads, and stream were used. Thematic map of each parameter was prepared using GIS data. Measuring the rate and weight of the maps was performed using the crisp method on a scale from 0 to 9 and analytical hierarchical process (AHP), respectively. After preparing the initial map, the final map was prepared by applying surface water geometric, and environmental considerations. Alarge area of the study area is in the category of medium potential for the construction of an underground dam, and the areas with high potential are located at the confluence of tributary to mainstem of streams, and in the southern half of the study area. The stream located in Nashtifan district, which is located in the southwest of the external border of the Khaf aquifer and serves as the output drainage of Kal Fadak in the northern part of the study area was confirmed as the optimal point.