Author(s): Nasser Rostam Afshar; Seyed Javad Hosainy
Linked Author(s): Nasser Rostam Afshar
Keywords: Buffer zone; River; Environmental goals; Weightage; Haraz river i=ni=
Abstract: A buffer zone, is the interface between land and a river. It may be natural or engineered. These zones are important natural bio-filters protecting aquatic environments from excessive erosionand polluted surface runoff. With continuous growth in rate of urbanization, environmental degradation and social losses have been raised due to illegal activities inriver bed and buffer zone. Buffer zone is considered on either side of river bed and its length ranges between 3 m to 20m from one country to another country, but the exact value depends upon the variation in site characteristics. If the buffer width is small, it may not serve the purpose for which it has been designed. Over estimation of the buffer width will result in considerably high cost of the land use rendering it to be uneconomical. The objective of this study is to determinethe optimumvalue of buffer widthto reduce losses. buffer width, depends upon the effects of varying site characteristics associated with river topography, meteorology, hydrology, morphology, monitoring the site) to 20 meter (hi) was assigned to each parameter due to its impact on environmental hydraulics, social and economic constraints. A length between to 3 meter (minimum width required for goals (bank stabilization and water quality protection), social and economic return. Similarly, a weightage werereadjusted (wi) suitably to account for relative importance of different parameters. Total weighted between zero to one (one for worst condition and zero for no damage) wasappointed. These values buffer widths (H) is equal to the product of ∑ ( (hi) ∗ (wi) ) /n), where n is number of parameters. Buffer widthcomputed in different zones have been compared with the existing buffer width in Haraz river (Iran). It was noted that the suggested approach is more rational basis for estimation of buffer width.
Year: 2013