Site Selection Assessment of Azar Abadeghan Khoy Cement Factory in terms of Flood Hazards Using MEREC Model

Document Type : Applied Article

Authors

1 Professor of Geomorphology, University of Tabriz and Iranian Hazardology Association, Iran

2 Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Tabriz, Iran

10.22059/jhsci.2025.398196.886

Abstract

Due to its geographical location at the outlet of an upstream basin and the presence of an extensive network of primary and secondary waterways, the Azar Abadeghan Cement Factory in Khoy is constantly at risk of destructive flooding. The primary objective of this study is to assess the placement of this factory in relation to flood hazard and to propose appropriate strategies for mitigating potential damages. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the flood hazard, a detailed flood hazard map of the study area was developed. In this research, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model, combined with Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities, was employed to create a flood hazard zoning map and identify vulnerable areas. The criteria used in this study included elevation, slope, aspect, precipitation, distance to the river, drainage density, vegetation index, land use, lithology, soil hydrological groups, topographic wetness index, sediment transport index, and stream power index. The MEREC method was employed to determine the weights of the criteria. The weighting results revealed that the slope factor, with a weight of 0.137, had the greatest influence on flood occurrence in the region. Following that, lithology (with a weight of 0.131) and precipitation (with a weight of 0.118) ranked second and third, respectively. Based on the analysis of hazard zone areas in the final map, over 16% of the region's area (equivalent to 124 hectares) falls within the high and very high-hazard classes. According to the findings of this study, appropriate preventive and management measures should be implemented to reduce flood hazard around the factory, in order to prevent potential flood-related damages in the future.

Keywords

References

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Environmental Management Hazards
Volume 12, Issue 2
July 2025
Pages 135-152

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