Abstract
ABSTRACT This article introduces a methodology utilizing the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) integrated with a Geographic Information System (GIS) to classify sub-basins within a large river basin in terms of pollution levels. The research uses data from the Haraz River basin, located in northern Iran near the Caspian Sea. The river basin under investigation comprises seven sub-basins. The primary pollution sources in this region include domestic wastewater from urban areas, effluents from fish farms, discharge from sand and gravel mines, sewage from restaurants and tourism centers, as well as land use (agriculture, forests, and rangelands). In addition to these pollution-related factors, other criteria such as basin area, river length, road network length, and slope were also considered. Using scores assigned by experts and leveraging the Expert Choice software, all sub-basins, and factors contributing to river pollution were identified. According to the findings, urban domestic wastewater was the most significant contributor to pollution in the study Basin, accounting for 42.2% of the total pollution. The sub-basins were classified according to their final weighted scores, identifying those with the highest and lowest pollution levels. The studied approach offers substantial advantages in terms of time, cost, and resource efficiency.
Published Version
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