Mapping the sensitivity of subsidence prone areas using the weight of evidence method (Case study: Kaboudarahang-Famenin Plain)

The consequence of human activities caused destructive and irreversible problems to the original state in the few past decades that has attracted the attention of all walks of life. The sinkholes are one of the mentioned effects in different parts of the planet such as Iran, Hamadan and especially have been happened in Kaboudarahang-Famenin plain. Researchers believe that the most important consequences of the indiscriminate withdrawal of groundwater and illegal wells and the activities of Shahid Mofatteh thermal power plant change the parameters of soil caused appearance sinkholes in that area. All of the geological information, faults, hydrological, elevation, slope, aspect, and land use investigated by topographical geological maps, also digital elevation models and Google Earth image processes used for the study on the extraction and sinkholes due to the numbers and distribution of wells were assigned in GIS software. The results show that the level of groundwater, geology, land use and height of the range are the most effective factors in the creation of sinkholes; but the efficiency of surrounding factors and in somewhere farther from the sinkholes. The construction of Ekbatan dam on the most important river as the main water provider of understudy plains, the development of Hamadan city and changing the surrounding land use in Bahar county to agricultural, prevent from reaching water to the Kabodarahang and Famenin plains as a former and increasing the water demand in downstream is caused numerous sinkholes that was provided with favorable conditions than before (the dissolution of limestone).