Morphotectonic Analysis of Wadi Al-Batin Alluvial Fan, South of Iraq, Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques

This research aimed to know the tectonic activity of the Wadi Al-Batin alluvial fan using hydrological and morphotectonic analyses. Wadi Al-Batin alluvial fan is deposited from Wadi Al-Rimah in Saudi Arabia, which extended to Iraqi and Kuwait international boundaries. The longitudinal and transverse faults that characterize this region were common. The Abu- Jir-Euphrates faults have a significant impact on the region. The faults zone consists of several NW- SE trending faults running from the Rutba in western Iraq to the south along the Euphrates through Kuwait and meeting the Al-Batin fault to the Jal Al-Zor fault. The Hydromorphometric analysis of the present fan shows five watersheds having asymmetry shapes, more elongated and activity from the elongation ratio and asymmetry factor values. In contrast, transverse topographic symmetry and mountain front sinuosity factor have moderate to low activity from the stream length gradient index. The morphotectonic analysis suggests that the Wadi Al-Batin alluvial fan has a moderate tectonic activity due to the tectonic activity of the subsurface lineaments and the oil field activities found in the region.</jats:p

Hydromorphometric Analysis of Wadi Al-Batin Alluvial Fan Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques, Southwestern Iraq

Wadi Al-Batin alluvial fan starts from Wadi Al-Rummah in Saudi Arabia and passes through the Kuwait and Iraq borders. The fan represents the southern and northern limits of the Iraq and Kuwait national boundary, respectively, deposited by Wadi Al-Batin on the southern border of the main wide depression formed by the effectiveness of the Abu Jir-Euphrates Fault. The present study aims to evaluate the hydrological properties of the fan and perform a morphometric analysis to find the groundwater flow, structural, and drainage network of the study area based on fieldwork information and satellite images using remote sensing technique and GIS environment. The hydrological analysis shows that the drainage density pattern direction in Wadi Al-Batin alluvial fan is from the southwestern to the northeastern parts of the Wadi Al-Batin alluvial fan. The morphometric analysis results show that the Wadi Al-Batin fan is divided into five watersheds; each has seven stream orders, watershed 1 has the highest value of stream order, and watershed 2 has the lowest value of stream order. The drainage texture value range between fine, moderate, and very fine, which indicates the geological setting of the region consists of the Dibdibba Formation exposed in the study area. Watershed 3 has the highest value, and watershed 1 has the lowest value of stream frequency. The form factor value for all watersheds is less than 0.5 and has an elongated shape. The watershed 3 has the highest basin relief value, while the watershed 4 has the lowest value of basin relief.</jats:p