Document Type : Research Paper

Author

• Mohammad Ghasem Torkashvand

Abstract

Water catchment areas: Western parts of Iran including mountainous regions of Lorestan are among water catchment areas. Their network of flowing waters are join the Persian Gulf watersheds, Hoor marshes located in the southwest of Iran or the interior regions of Iran (the central basin of Iran) due to the slopes and structure of the land. These focal points are divided into two permanent and seasonal groups, depending on geographical elevation and directions of terrain.
In permanent catchment areas where atmospheric precipitation is more in the form of snow, the snow storage remains almost until the later parts of the warm period because of high altitudes and great latitudes. These centers, the most important of which are Cazinistan, Oshtorankouh, Gerin and Mishparvar, are scattered mostly in the mountainous areas of the north and the east. Atmospheric rainfall in the form of rain as well as low altitude, lack of adequate snow reserves and openness of the valleys in some areas of Lorestan have caused the formation of temporary rivers; this openness in particular makes the waters caused by melting of snows to fall into adjacent plains and eventually into permanent rivers of the region; the southern heights, Sefidkouh and Shahtad Pahlou are examples of these water catchment areas. In addition to these cases, the water catchment areas adjacent to Lorestan, Kermanshah and Hamadan provinces have important roles in the reinforcement and feeding of the network of flowing waters of this province.