Prioritization of watersheds in order to perform administrative measures using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process

Prioritization of watersheds in order to perform administrative measures using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process Abstract:  Prioritization of watersheds in order to perform administrative measures is necessary and inevitable. Determining areas of top priority for flood control projects is a managerial decision that should be approved by studies of physical, social and economic status of the region of interesrt and by assessing the outcomes of the past operations. Therefore, the aim of this research was to study morphological and physiographic characteristics, and to use geographic information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria decision-making methods (MCDM), to identify the critical sub-basins which have the tendency to be destructed, in Galikesh watershed, Golestan province. This watershed is important, yet critical, in terms of land use change, erosion and flooding in the Golestan Province, Iran. In total, nine morphological parameters were used to prioritize sub-watersheds using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP). The morphological parameters were by some means linked to watershed drainage system. Based on FAHP approach, sub-basins, as vulnerable zones, have been evaluated and cetegorized in five priority levels (very low, low, medium, high and very high levels). The results showed that 44.44% and 22.22% of sub-basins were categorized respectively under average, and high to very high levels, suggesting that the conservation and management measures are essential in order to maintain stability in the region. Thus, the FAHP technique is a practical and convenient method to show potential zones in order to implement effective management strategies, especially in areas where data availability is low and soil diversity is high. Finally, it can be said that without having to encounter high costs and a waste of time, sub-basins could be categorized by means of morphometric parameters in order to implement conservational measures to simutaneously conserve soil and the environment. Keywords:  watersheds priority, FAHP, GIS, multi-criteria decision making, Galikesh watershed Su havzalarinda idari tedbirlerin bulanik analitik hiyerarsi yontemi kullanilarak onceliklendirilmesi Ozet:  Idari tedbirleri gerceklestirmek icin havza onceliklendirilmesi gerekli ve kacinilmazdir. Taskin kontrolu projeleri icin oncelikli alanlari belirleme yonetimsel bir karardir ve bu karar; soz konusu bolgenin fiziksel, sosyal ve ekonomik statusu ile gecmisteki islemlerinin sonuclarini degerlendirerek alinmalidir. Bu nedenle, calismanin amaci cografi bilgi sistemleri (CBS) ve coklu kriterleri karar verme yontemleri (MCDM) kullanarak Gulistan eyaleti- Galikesh havzasinda tahrip edilme riski tasiyan havzalarin morfolojik ve fizyografik ozelliklerini incelemektir. Iran'in Gulistan Eyaleti icerisinde bulunan bu havza kritik bir sekilde erozyon ve taskin riski tasimaktadir. Toplamda, dokuz morfolojik parametre bulanik analitik hiyerarsi sureci (FAHP) icin kullanildi ve bu morfolojik parametreler havza drenaj sistemiyle dogrudan iliskiliydi. Bu yontemde alt havzalar; hassas bolgeler olarak, degerlendirilmis ve bes oncelik duzeyi (cok dusuk, dusuk, orta, yuksek ve cok yuksek seviyelere) seklinde kategorize edilmistir. Sonuclar; koruma ve alinacak yonetim tedbirlerinin bolgede istikrarin saglanmasi icin gerekli oldugunu gostermis; alt havzalarin sirasiyla % 44.44 oraninda ortalama altinda ve % 22.22 oraninda cok yuksek duzeyde korunmasi gerektigini vurgulamistir. Bulanik analitik hiyerarsi yontemi, ozellikle teknik veri kullanilabilirligi dusuk ve toprak cesitliligi yuksek olan bolgelerde, etkin yonetim stratejilerinin uygulanmasi icin potansiyel bolgeleri gosterme acisindan pratik ve kullanisli bir yontemdir. Son olarak, yuksek maliyetler ve zaman kaybi ile karsilasmaya gerek kalmadan, alt havzalar morfometrik parametreler kullanilarak toprak ve cevre korumasi acisindan kategorize edilebilmesini saglamaktadir. Anahtar Kelimeler:  Su havzalari onceligi, FAHP, CBS, cok kriterli karar verme, Galikesh havzasi Received (Gelis):  28.01.2016 -  Revised (Duzeltme):  17.02.2016 - Accepted (Kabul):  24.02.2016 Cite (Atif):  Arami, S.A., Alvandi, E., Frootandanesh, M., Tahmasebipour, N., Sangchini, E.K., 2017. Prioritization of watersheds in order to perform administrative measures using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process.  Journal of the Faculty of Forestry Istanbul University  67(1): 13-21. DOI: 10.17099/jffiu.16433