JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

Planning and providing appropriate tools to reduce the adverse effects of natural hazards including floods is inevitable. Achieving the above goal depends on having sufficient and accurate knowledge and information about the vulnerability of different ecosystems (watersheds) to various destructive factors. Vulnerability assessment by identifying potential stresses and disturbances (natural and man-made) as well as estimating the sensitivity of watersheds allows for predicting the effects and selecting appropriate solutions for the sustainable management of these ecosystems. Therefore, this study has been designed to identify and rank vulnerable sub-watersheds to floods in the Ardabil plain, taking into account social, economic, infrastructural, and ecological dimensions. First, the indicators and criteria of each dimension were identified taking into account the conditions prevailing in Ardabil plain. Then, information and data on climatic, hydrological, demographic, economic, infrastructure, and land use were obtained from relevant authorities. Then, the mentioned criteria were standardized and the weight according to their importance was calculated based on the BWM method the data obtained from this stage were performed using the TOPSIS technique to rank flood vulnerability for different sub-watersheds in Ardabil plain for the period 2007-2017. Finally, a map of Ardabil's plain vulnerability to floods was prepared and presented. According to the results, the criteria of building density, rainfall, population density, and the unemployment rate were the most important criteria of vulnerability and among the studied dimensions, the infrastructure dimension is too significant in flood vulnerability in Ardabil plain. Based on the comprehensive vulnerability map, sub-watershed 7 in Ardabil plain was identified as the most vulnerable sub-watershed in the study area.