Comparison Between Tectonic Activity and Erosion Rate of Al-Adhaim River Basin, Iraq Using DEM and GIS

Geomorphic indices are a basic tool to indicate Neotectonic activities in certain areas like Al-Adhaim River Basin in Iraq. Different geomorphic indices including stream length gradient index, drainage basin asymmetry, hypsometric integral, valley floor width-to-height ratio, and mountain front sinuosity have been calculated. The ArcGIS, DEM, Geological maps at a scale of 1:250000 and different erosional data to perform the current research have been used. The study area has been divided into 14 sub-basins in ArcGIS Software. Accordingly, the tectonic activity ranges from moderate in sub basins (4, 5, 11, 13, and 14) and high sub basins (2, 3, 6, 7, 9, and 10) to very high in the sub basins (1, and 8). Erosion rates range from moderate in the sub basin (2) to severe in sub basins (1, 7, and 14) and very very severe in the sub basins (8, 11, and 12). The comparison between the relative tectonic activity and erosion rate shows different types of relation in different sub-basins. In three sub-basins (7, 9, and 10), the two variables coincide, and in sub basins (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 13) there is a mutual relation between the two variables, and only in sub basin 11, there is an opposite relation between the two variables.