Development of Gulley Ali Beg Gorge in Rawandooz Area, Northern Iraq

Sven Knutsson,Varoujan K Sissakian,Mawaheb F Abdul Jab'Bar,Nadhir Al-Ansari

doi:10.4236/eng.2015.71002

Abstract

The northern and northeastern parts of the Iraqi exhibit different types of gorges. Some of them are few kilometers in length and few hundred meters in height. The most significant gorge is the Gulley Ali Bed gorge in Rawandooz area; its length is about 12.1 Km, with maximum and minimum widths of 100 to 155 m, respectively. The water in the gorge flows in two opposite directions, from the north and south through two streams; they meet in the middle of the gorge, and then change the streams direction towards west; for few kilometers before it merges in the Greater Zab River. The gorge runs within very hard thickly bedded to massive carbonate rocks, which belong to Sarmord, Qamchuqa and Bekhme formations (Cretaceous in age). To the right of the southern entrance; stands Korak anticline, whereas to the left occurs Peris anticline. To the right of the northern entrance; stands Handreen anticline, whereas to the left is Bradost anticline; represented by Balikian Mountain. The gorge is developed by continuous lateral and vertical growth of the four mentioned anticlines, with continuous incision of both streams, Rawandooz from the north and Khlaifan from the south. Both shifted their courses, continuously as indicated from the presence of many wind gaps in the aforementioned anticlines.

Highlights

The study area is located in Erbil Governorate, North Iraq, between Rawandooz town, in the north and Khlaifan
The northern one is larger and called Rawandooz River, in which Zil Gulley stream merges before the northern entrance of the gorge, whereas the southern one is called Khlaifan stream, which merges in the middle of the gorge into the Rawandooz River, which runs westwards to merge with the Greater Zab River, 18 Km farther on
The aim of this study is to delineate the morphometry of the Gulley Ali Beg gorge and to reveal its complex development, being a very rare gorge in which the water flows in two opposite sides

Summary

Introduction

The study area is located in Erbil Governorate, North Iraq, between Rawandooz town, in the north and KhlaifanHow to cite this paper: Sissakian, V.K., Jab’bar, M.F.A., Al-Ansari, N. and Knutsson, S. (2015) Development of Gulley Ali Beg Gorge in Rawandooz Area, Northern Iraq. The study area is located in Erbil Governorate, North Iraq, between Rawandooz town, in the north and Khlaifan. (2015) Development of Gulley Ali Beg Gorge in Rawandooz Area, Northern Iraq. Sissakian et al town in the south (Figure 1). It can be reached by paved roads from different directions, from Erbil in the south, from Ranya in the east, from Aqra in the west, and from Zibar in the north. Gulley Ali Beg gorge is one of the most well-known gorges in Iraq. The gorge is 12.1 Km in length, whereas its width ranges from 100 to 155 m. It is formed from two large streams. The northern one is larger and called Rawandooz River, in which Zil Gulley stream merges before the northern entrance of the gorge, whereas the southern one is called Khlaifan stream, which merges in the middle of the gorge into the Rawandooz River, which runs westwards to merge with the Greater Zab River, 18 Km farther on

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