SWPT:An automated GIS-based tool for prioritization of sub-watersheds based on morphometric and topo-hydrological factors

The sub-watershed prioritization is the ranking of different areas of a river basin according to their need to proper planning and management of soil and water resources.Decision makers should optimally allocate the investments to critical sub-watersheds in an economically effective and technically efficient manner.Hence,this study aimed at developing a user-friendly geographic information system(GIS) tool,Sub-Watershed Prioritization Tool(SWPT),using the Python programming language to decrease any possible uncertainty.It used geospatial-statistical techniques for analyzing morphometric and topohydrological factors and automatically identifying critical and priority sub-watersheds.In order to assess the capability and reliability of the SWPT tool,it was successfully applied in a watershed in the Golestan Province,Northern Iran.Historical records of flood and landslide events indicated that the SWPT correctly recognized critical sub-watersheds.It provided a cost-effective approach for prioritization of sub-watersheds.Therefore,the SWPT is practically applicable and replicable to other regions where gauge data is not available for each sub-watershed.