Evaluation of Selected Site Location for Subsurface Dam Construction within Isayi Watershed Using GIS and RS Garmiyan Area, Kurdistan Region

Salahaldin S. Ali, Foad A. Al-Umary, Sarkawt G. Salar, Nadhir Al-Ansari, Sven Knutsson

Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Lulea University of Technology, Lulea, Sweden.
Department of Geography, College of Education, University of Tikrit, Tikrit, Iraq.
Department of Geography, Faculty of Education, University of Garmian, Iraqi Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
Department of Geology, School of Science, Faculty of Science and Science Education, University of Sulaimaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

DOI: 10.4236/jwarp.2014.611092                

Abstract

Garmiyan area suffers from many water problems such as poor rainfall rate, water shortage, aridity and absence of groundwater in many places. Hence the subsurface dam is the best solution due to many advantages such as low cost of construction, least maintenance, low evaporation, no contamination, utilization of the land over the dam and better storage. The objective of this study is to evaluate the suitability of the selected site location for subsurface dam construction, to serve as strategic water supply storage, to solute the aridity and water shortage in this area of arid to semi arid climate in Isayi watershed within the stream deposits. Geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing through satellite images and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) interpretation and analysis have facilitated the investigation with more accuracy. ArcGIS helped in construction of thematic maps of the studied area. The geologic, structural, geomorphologic, hydrologic and hydrogeologic characteristics with GPR survey show the suitability of the selected site location for construction of subsurface dam. According to the standard water quality for domestic, irrigation and livestock the water quality of all water samples are within the recommended range and the best time to be chosen, for construction of the subsurface dam, is during the autumn season from September to November.

Keywords

Subsurface Dam, GIS, Water Harvest, Hydrogeology, Geomorphology

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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