INVESTIGATION OF NEW DREDGING TECHNOLOGIES IN IMPROVING SEDIMENT STATUS OF GORGAN

Gorgan Bay was registered in ۱۳۵۴ along withMiankala and Lepoi Zaghmarz wetlands (inGolestan and Mazandaran provinces) as the world'sfirst international wetland complex in the list ofwetlands of the Ramsar Convention to prove thatnot only this bay, but also the surrounding areasincluding the Miankala peninsula (WildlifeSanctuary) and Gumishan International Wetland isa valuable environmental complex. Gorgan Bay isa part of the Miankala Wildlife Sanctuary.The processes of erosion, sediment transport anddeposition by hydrodynamic factors such as wavesand sea level fluctuations on one hand and riverand wind sediment delivery on the other hand havegiven special importance to Gorgan Bay. The fourmain groups of sediments are sand, mud, sandymud, and muddy sand accumulated in Gorgan Bay.Gorgan Bay has been decreasing its water level formany years, but the authorities have not paid thenecessary attention to it, and if they have struggledthis time, it is only because of the media atmosphere that has been created in the direction ofrevitalizing Gorgan Bay. It can be mentioned forthe dredging of two canals "Khazini" and"Chaparqoli" which are the entry valve of CaspianSea water to Gorgan Bay. Another reason that can be mentioned for the death of Gorgan Bay isclimate change and continuous drought in recentyears, which has had a destructive effect on GorganBay and has reduced the water in it to a greatextent. Also, the blocking of the Caspian Sea waterinlet from the Khazini channel due to the increasein sediments has caused the water in the bay torecede up to about ۱۰ meters.