Land Degradation Assessment with Emphasis on Groundwater Depletion and Land Subsidence in the Qazvin Plain

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Research Associate Professor, Desert Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, AREEO, Tehran, Iran.

2 Research Professor, Botany Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, AREEO, Tehran, Iran.

10.29252/aridbiom.2026.4233

Abstract

Land degradation in alluvial plains is driven by the synergistic effects of groundwater depletion and the resulting geomechanical responses of the aquifer. This study aimed to enhance the accuracy of degradation assessments in the Qazvin Plain by integrating land subsidence rates—derived from InSAR analysis—into the conventional IMDPA model, leading to the development of the IMDPAS (Modified IMDPA for Subsidence) model. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) results revealed that a total area of 870 km² is affected by land subsidence, with 86% of these regions experiencing subsidence rates between 5 and 10 cm/year. Results from the conventional IMDPA model (based solely on hydrogeological indicators) classified 78% of the area as “moderate” and 22% as “low” degradation, failing to identify any critical zones. However, implementation of the developed IMDPAS model by incorporating the subsidence variable triggered a structural shift in class distribution; the “severe” degradation class surged to 78% (equivalent to 630.53 km²), while the “low” degradation class was entirely eliminated. These findings demonstrate that classical models significantly underestimate the actual severity of the crisis by neglecting geomechanical consequences and irreversible sediment compaction. The IMDPAS model, by revealing structural and hidden aquifer degradation, is proposed as a strategic tool for sustainable water resource management and the prioritization of critical zones in plains prone to land subsidence.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Arid Biome
Volume 15, Issue 2
September 2025
Pages 153-173

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