I am currently working as Advisor to CEO at Kermanshah Regional Water Authority (KRWA), Ministry of Energy of Iran and Secretary of the Karst and Hard Rocks committee of Basic Studies office at the KRWA. In the same time, I am serving as member of research committee of KRWA. As a professional expert I am interested in the karst research and field work in several aspect of groundwater managing programs such as deep water wells site selection in karst areas and groundwater sustainability research. I am also interested in Geotourism, Geoarchaeology and Hydrogeochemistry, and I am closely involved with the Sinkhole study in Iran’s covered karst areas.
Since 1987, just after introduction of DRASTIC model by the committee of Environmental Protection... more Since 1987, just after introduction of DRASTIC model by the committee of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of USA, this method has become highly popular for mapping the aquifer vulnerability analyses all around the world. Despite the criticisms raised against the selected factors’ weights of the DRASTIC method in different cases, it still utilizes as a privilege method for groundwater vulnerability assessments in alluvial aquifers. However, sometimes the DRASTIC method is subjectively modified to be more compatible with the new conditions and assumptions (modified DRASTIC). Feasibility and accessibility of data gathering for running the DRASTIC method are the reasons that made it popular for groundwater studies. By using this method, an overview of aquifer vulnerability to pollution could be drawn. In karst aquifers, methods like GOD, EPIK, PaPRIKa, LEPT, and so on are all among the highly acceptable methods used for aquifer vulnerability evaluation. However, when an alluvial and a karst aquifer are adjacent, it will cause a major concern. In this case, overall vulnerability assessments would be complicated and difficult. Regarding this fact, finding and employing a comprehensive method to evaluate this critical condition will have a great importance. In northern territories of Hamadan Province, Western Iran, thick quaternary sediments cover deep karst aquifers and formations of Miocene. Occurrences of many collapse sinkholes in the overburden alluvial section and the karst bedrock made it possible for pollutants to enter the deep aquifers of the region more easily. Therefore, it is essential to consider the role of cover-collapsed sinkholes in any try towards conducting vulnerability assessments for the region. In this study, a modified version of the DRASTIC method, in which an extra layer containing the spatial distribution of sinkholes is included, has been used. This modified version is called the Sin-DRASTIC. Results of this study showed that adding the sinkhole distribution layer to the other main layers, commonly used for running DRASTIC method, will produce more reliable results.
ABSTRACT Bare and covered karst areas, with developed karstic aquifers, cover 35 percent of the K... more ABSTRACT Bare and covered karst areas, with developed karstic aquifers, cover 35 percent of the Kermanshah province in western Iran. These aquifers are the vital sources for drinking and agricultural water supplies. Over the past decade, intensive groundwater use (exploitation) for irrigation imposed a significant impact on the carbonate environments. The huge amount of groundwater over-exploitations has been carried out and still goes on by local farmers in the absence of appropriate governance monitoring control. Increasing in water demands, for more intense crop production , is an important driving force toward groundwater depletion in alluvial aquifers. Progressive groundwater over-exploitations from underlying carbonate rocks have led to dramatic drawdown in alluvial aquifers and deep karst water tables. Detecting new sources of groundwater extractions and prohibiting the karst water utilization for agricultural use could be the most effective strategy to manage the sustainability of covered karst aquifers. An-thropogenic pressures on covered karst aquifers have magnified the drought impacts and caused dryness of most of the karst springs and deep wells. In this study, the combination of geophysical and geological studies was used to estimate the most intensively exploited agricultural zones of Islam Abad plain in the southwestern Kermanshah province using GIS. The results show that in the past decade a great number of deep wells were drilled through the overburden alluvial aquifer and reached the deep karst water resources. However, the difficulties involved in monitoring deep wells in covered karst aquifer were the main cause of karst water depletion. Overexploitation from both alluvial and karst aquifers is the main reason for drying out the Arkawazi, Sharafshah, Gawrawani karst springs, and the karst drinking water wells 1, 3 and 5 of Islam Abad city. Karst spring landscape destructions, fresh water supply deficit for inhabitants, decreasing of tourism and recreational activities are some outcomes of imbalance uses of unprotected karst water resources in Islam Abad plain.
International audienceThis paper reports on a recent discovery of a cave-site with probable Middl... more International audienceThis paper reports on a recent discovery of a cave-site with probable Middle Pleistocene remains that seems to be the first known Lower Paleolithic cave site in Iran. Darband Cave is located on the north side of a deep canyon at southern slopes of Mount Dorfak, an extinct volcano at western Alborz. The site was discovered by V. Jahani in 2005, and revisited by Biglari, Jahani and Shidrang in 2006 who collected a sizeable number of faunal remains and 25 stone artifacts from disturbed deposit along the western wall of the cave.Flakes makeup the majority of the artefacts which mostly show some retouch that would allow us to classify them as marginal retouched flakes, scrapers, notched, awls, and end-scrapers. The collection also includes one core (core-chopper), some unretouched flakes, flake fragments, and debris. The faunal assemblage from the cave is dominated by cave bears, with a few ungulate remains. From the preliminary observations and considering the limited number of the bones it is possible to allocate these remains to Spelarctos deningeri. Remains of cave bears are absent at Palaeolithic cave-sites in the Zagros region and elsewhere in Iran; Draband Cave therefore represents the first evidence for this taxon from Iran. The presence of this carnivore at Darband Cave seems to be the farthest extension of the Caucasian population of Pleistocene cave bears to the southeast
Many buried karst areas in Iran, and in other parts of the world have not yet been mapped using d... more Many buried karst areas in Iran, and in other parts of the world have not yet been mapped using detailed geological or geophysical studies to delineate susceptibility to sinkhole development. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possibility of using the results of hydrogeochemical analysis with routine measurements of physicochemical parameters to evaluate and detect areas prone to sinkhole develop. Sixteen spatial maps were prepared using analyzed data from 77 water samples from monitoring water wells in the Kabudar Ahang, Razan, and Qahavand (KRQ) sub-catchments of the Hamadan province, western Iran. By use of geographic information system tools 16 thematic maps for physicochemical parameters (EC, pH., TDS, and groundwater temperature), major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+), anions (HCO−3, SO42−, NO3−, and Cl−), and calcite, dolomite, gypsum, and partial pressure of CO2 saturation indices (SIC, SID, SIG, and SIpCO2) were prepared. It was hypothesized that the anomalies of each parameter concentration could be consistent with sinkhole prone areas. To evaluate this assumption, the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was calculated by 100 points as a true sinkhole pixel (50 positive true) and non-sinkhole point (50 true negative). The areas under curve of ROC for these thematic maps were calculated for the 16 variables. Results show that the dolomite and calcite saturation indices (0.49 and 0.43, respectively) are poor indicators, whereas HCO−3 and pCO2 saturation indexes (0.83 and 0.78, respectively) are good indicators of sinkhole susceptibility in the study area. The result confirmed application of hydrogeochemical anomaly analyses and the ROC validation method in covered karst can be a useful tool for prediction of sinkhole prone zones forming in region, where sparse data are available.
DRASTIC is a model that is commonly used to assess vulnerability to groundwater contamination at ... more DRASTIC is a model that is commonly used to assess vulnerability to groundwater contamination at the landscape scale. When sparse data are available to populate the layers of the model, it can be difficult to ascertain the true usefulness of the model produced map. In this research an alluvial aquifer, the Sahneh aquifer in Kermanshah province of western Iran, was mapped using the generic DRASTIC model. The data available for populating the model layers were generally sparse. The model was validated using a nitrate concentration map constructed from well water measurements within the DRASTIC map area. A Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) analysis was conducted by placing 500 random points in the DRASTIC generated map compared to the nitrate concentration map. The area under the curve was compared and yielded a value of 0.72 or 72% concordance, which means it has good validity. This investigation demonstrates that a generic DRASTIC model can yield acceptable results without modification ...
The groundwater sustainability of an alluvial aquifer in the western Iran was examined by using e... more The groundwater sustainability of an alluvial aquifer in the western Iran was examined by using eight different social, economic, and environmental indicators. Differing types of indicators were used including groundwater extraction, groundwater quality, and groundwater vulnerability from the environmental indicators proposed by UNESCO 2007 and the legal framework, institutional capacity, public participation, knowledge generation, and promotion and water productivity from five researcher-developed indicators. A questionnaire and an AHP analysis were used to assess groundwater sustainability in the Mahidasht aquifer. Using AHP method, the indicators were formulated as spatial thematic maps resulting in calculation of the groundwater sustainability index (GSI). Then, the final GSI was divided into four categories, including sustainable, near sustainable, unsustainable, and highly or critically unsustainable. The AHP results showed that most parts of the study area are contained within the unsustainable category. The questionnaire method also showed that the study area with the score of 1.47 belongs within the unsustainable category. The validation of AHP results indicated 97% of the area had more than 1-m of drawdown in the groundwater level and 62% of it had more than 10-m of decline in the water level. The results showed that different socio-economic and environmental indicators can provide a helpful overview of groundwater sustainability conditions for future planning and decision-making in water management. Few studies of water management using socio-economic indicators have been conducted in Iran, Therefore this study provides a novel method of groundwater sustainability assessment by using the concepts of sustainable development, and integrated spatial indicators. Assess groundwater sustainability by use of reliable indicators to help water managers make better decisions. Use of three indicators from UNESCO and five researcher-developed indicators. Use of a proposed index-based approach in the socio-economic conditions. Obtain more realistic results from groundwater sustainability assessment by using questionnaires and Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) methods. Assess groundwater sustainability by use of reliable indicators to help water managers make better decisions. Use of three indicators from UNESCO and five researcher-developed indicators. Use of a proposed index-based approach in the socio-economic conditions. Obtain more realistic results from groundwater sustainability assessment by using questionnaires and Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) methods.
Since 1987, just after introduction of DRASTIC model by the committee of Environmental Protection... more Since 1987, just after introduction of DRASTIC model by the committee of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of USA, this method has become highly popular for mapping the aquifer vulnerability analyses all around the world. Despite the criticisms raised against the selected factors’ weights of the DRASTIC method in different cases, it still utilizes as a privilege method for groundwater vulnerability assessments in alluvial aquifers. However, sometimes the DRASTIC method is subjectively modified to be more compatible with the new conditions and assumptions (modified DRASTIC). Feasibility and accessibility of data gathering for running the DRASTIC method are the reasons that made it popular for groundwater studies. By using this method, an overview of aquifer vulnerability to pollution could be drawn. In karst aquifers, methods like GOD, EPIK, PaPRIKa, LEPT, and so on are all among the highly acceptable methods used for aquifer vulnerability evaluation. However, when an alluvial and a karst aquifer are adjacent, it will cause a major concern. In this case, overall vulnerability assessments would be complicated and difficult. Regarding this fact, finding and employing a comprehensive method to evaluate this critical condition will have a great importance. In northern territories of Hamadan Province, Western Iran, thick quaternary sediments cover deep karst aquifers and formations of Miocene. Occurrences of many collapse sinkholes in the overburden alluvial section and the karst bedrock made it possible for pollutants to enter the deep aquifers of the region more easily. Therefore, it is essential to consider the role of cover-collapsed sinkholes in any try towards conducting vulnerability assessments for the region. In this study, a modified version of the DRASTIC method, in which an extra layer containing the spatial distribution of sinkholes is included, has been used. This modified version is called the Sin-DRASTIC. Results of this study showed that adding the sinkhole distribution layer to the other main layers, commonly used for running DRASTIC method, will produce more reliable results.
ABSTRACT Bare and covered karst areas, with developed karstic aquifers, cover 35 percent of the K... more ABSTRACT Bare and covered karst areas, with developed karstic aquifers, cover 35 percent of the Kermanshah province in western Iran. These aquifers are the vital sources for drinking and agricultural water supplies. Over the past decade, intensive groundwater use (exploitation) for irrigation imposed a significant impact on the carbonate environments. The huge amount of groundwater over-exploitations has been carried out and still goes on by local farmers in the absence of appropriate governance monitoring control. Increasing in water demands, for more intense crop production , is an important driving force toward groundwater depletion in alluvial aquifers. Progressive groundwater over-exploitations from underlying carbonate rocks have led to dramatic drawdown in alluvial aquifers and deep karst water tables. Detecting new sources of groundwater extractions and prohibiting the karst water utilization for agricultural use could be the most effective strategy to manage the sustainability of covered karst aquifers. An-thropogenic pressures on covered karst aquifers have magnified the drought impacts and caused dryness of most of the karst springs and deep wells. In this study, the combination of geophysical and geological studies was used to estimate the most intensively exploited agricultural zones of Islam Abad plain in the southwestern Kermanshah province using GIS. The results show that in the past decade a great number of deep wells were drilled through the overburden alluvial aquifer and reached the deep karst water resources. However, the difficulties involved in monitoring deep wells in covered karst aquifer were the main cause of karst water depletion. Overexploitation from both alluvial and karst aquifers is the main reason for drying out the Arkawazi, Sharafshah, Gawrawani karst springs, and the karst drinking water wells 1, 3 and 5 of Islam Abad city. Karst spring landscape destructions, fresh water supply deficit for inhabitants, decreasing of tourism and recreational activities are some outcomes of imbalance uses of unprotected karst water resources in Islam Abad plain.
International audienceThis paper reports on a recent discovery of a cave-site with probable Middl... more International audienceThis paper reports on a recent discovery of a cave-site with probable Middle Pleistocene remains that seems to be the first known Lower Paleolithic cave site in Iran. Darband Cave is located on the north side of a deep canyon at southern slopes of Mount Dorfak, an extinct volcano at western Alborz. The site was discovered by V. Jahani in 2005, and revisited by Biglari, Jahani and Shidrang in 2006 who collected a sizeable number of faunal remains and 25 stone artifacts from disturbed deposit along the western wall of the cave.Flakes makeup the majority of the artefacts which mostly show some retouch that would allow us to classify them as marginal retouched flakes, scrapers, notched, awls, and end-scrapers. The collection also includes one core (core-chopper), some unretouched flakes, flake fragments, and debris. The faunal assemblage from the cave is dominated by cave bears, with a few ungulate remains. From the preliminary observations and considering the limited number of the bones it is possible to allocate these remains to Spelarctos deningeri. Remains of cave bears are absent at Palaeolithic cave-sites in the Zagros region and elsewhere in Iran; Draband Cave therefore represents the first evidence for this taxon from Iran. The presence of this carnivore at Darband Cave seems to be the farthest extension of the Caucasian population of Pleistocene cave bears to the southeast
Many buried karst areas in Iran, and in other parts of the world have not yet been mapped using d... more Many buried karst areas in Iran, and in other parts of the world have not yet been mapped using detailed geological or geophysical studies to delineate susceptibility to sinkhole development. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possibility of using the results of hydrogeochemical analysis with routine measurements of physicochemical parameters to evaluate and detect areas prone to sinkhole develop. Sixteen spatial maps were prepared using analyzed data from 77 water samples from monitoring water wells in the Kabudar Ahang, Razan, and Qahavand (KRQ) sub-catchments of the Hamadan province, western Iran. By use of geographic information system tools 16 thematic maps for physicochemical parameters (EC, pH., TDS, and groundwater temperature), major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+), anions (HCO−3, SO42−, NO3−, and Cl−), and calcite, dolomite, gypsum, and partial pressure of CO2 saturation indices (SIC, SID, SIG, and SIpCO2) were prepared. It was hypothesized that the anomalies of each parameter concentration could be consistent with sinkhole prone areas. To evaluate this assumption, the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was calculated by 100 points as a true sinkhole pixel (50 positive true) and non-sinkhole point (50 true negative). The areas under curve of ROC for these thematic maps were calculated for the 16 variables. Results show that the dolomite and calcite saturation indices (0.49 and 0.43, respectively) are poor indicators, whereas HCO−3 and pCO2 saturation indexes (0.83 and 0.78, respectively) are good indicators of sinkhole susceptibility in the study area. The result confirmed application of hydrogeochemical anomaly analyses and the ROC validation method in covered karst can be a useful tool for prediction of sinkhole prone zones forming in region, where sparse data are available.
DRASTIC is a model that is commonly used to assess vulnerability to groundwater contamination at ... more DRASTIC is a model that is commonly used to assess vulnerability to groundwater contamination at the landscape scale. When sparse data are available to populate the layers of the model, it can be difficult to ascertain the true usefulness of the model produced map. In this research an alluvial aquifer, the Sahneh aquifer in Kermanshah province of western Iran, was mapped using the generic DRASTIC model. The data available for populating the model layers were generally sparse. The model was validated using a nitrate concentration map constructed from well water measurements within the DRASTIC map area. A Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) analysis was conducted by placing 500 random points in the DRASTIC generated map compared to the nitrate concentration map. The area under the curve was compared and yielded a value of 0.72 or 72% concordance, which means it has good validity. This investigation demonstrates that a generic DRASTIC model can yield acceptable results without modification ...
The groundwater sustainability of an alluvial aquifer in the western Iran was examined by using e... more The groundwater sustainability of an alluvial aquifer in the western Iran was examined by using eight different social, economic, and environmental indicators. Differing types of indicators were used including groundwater extraction, groundwater quality, and groundwater vulnerability from the environmental indicators proposed by UNESCO 2007 and the legal framework, institutional capacity, public participation, knowledge generation, and promotion and water productivity from five researcher-developed indicators. A questionnaire and an AHP analysis were used to assess groundwater sustainability in the Mahidasht aquifer. Using AHP method, the indicators were formulated as spatial thematic maps resulting in calculation of the groundwater sustainability index (GSI). Then, the final GSI was divided into four categories, including sustainable, near sustainable, unsustainable, and highly or critically unsustainable. The AHP results showed that most parts of the study area are contained within the unsustainable category. The questionnaire method also showed that the study area with the score of 1.47 belongs within the unsustainable category. The validation of AHP results indicated 97% of the area had more than 1-m of drawdown in the groundwater level and 62% of it had more than 10-m of decline in the water level. The results showed that different socio-economic and environmental indicators can provide a helpful overview of groundwater sustainability conditions for future planning and decision-making in water management. Few studies of water management using socio-economic indicators have been conducted in Iran, Therefore this study provides a novel method of groundwater sustainability assessment by using the concepts of sustainable development, and integrated spatial indicators. Assess groundwater sustainability by use of reliable indicators to help water managers make better decisions. Use of three indicators from UNESCO and five researcher-developed indicators. Use of a proposed index-based approach in the socio-economic conditions. Obtain more realistic results from groundwater sustainability assessment by using questionnaires and Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) methods. Assess groundwater sustainability by use of reliable indicators to help water managers make better decisions. Use of three indicators from UNESCO and five researcher-developed indicators. Use of a proposed index-based approach in the socio-economic conditions. Obtain more realistic results from groundwater sustainability assessment by using questionnaires and Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) methods.
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Papers by Kamal Taheri