Journal of Watershed Management Research

Rivers are highly sensitive to environmental changes. Detection of river changes can lead to recognition and optimal management of the river channel side and riverbeds. This study aimed investigating the river changes and identifying the factors affecting the level of channel side of Babolrood in Babol City. The data of this study were collected from river discharge and sediment, land structure and substances along with aerial photos of year 1335 and SPOT satellite images of year 1393 in Google Earth software. To determine changes in the channel sides, transect method was used in this study. The temporal and spatial changes of both sides of the Babolrood channel side were compared to baseline and calculated by locating a straight and constant line as a baseline and a transaction at intervals of 200 meters. Channel changes were numbered in four separate intervals and finally the changes of left and right banks of Babolrood were studied and analyzed by overlaying and integrating the two time periods. The results of this research indicated drastic channel changes in the last 60 years of Babolrood River. The following factors had a remarkable role in Babolrood channel side changes: elimination of barren usages, reduction of other usages to the benefits of residential ones and fluctuations in discharge rate and river. In addition, the contribution of fault in the movement and the length of channel side should not be ignored.