KIZILIRMAĞIN AKIM VE REJİM ÖZELLİKLERİ

Kizilirmak which drairis an area about 78.180 km* 2 is one o f the most importnt rivers o f Turkey. Its mean annual discharge is 187 m3/sec. (at inozu) The climate conditions and topographical peculiarities o f the catchment area play a very important role on the flov) o f the river. The existence o f gypsum formations around Sivas and Cankiri and evaporation during summer causes a loss o f the river flow. The use o f surface water fo r irrigation usually requires great guantities o f water. During the mnter, the flow o f the river decreases because o f snowfall and low temperatures. In the spring the flo v increases due to melting snow, high temperatures, and rainfall. The varying amount rainfall and runoff affects the different tributaries (Gokirmak, Devrez, Deliceirmak) to form a complex regime causing a flux in the annual discharge. The rainfall over the river basin ranges from 294 mm. to over 750 mm. and its heaviest distributton is centered about December-January and April-May, Runoff is concentrated betv/een the same periods. This varying rainfall pattem is reflected in the seasonal distribution o f runoff from the different tributaries. The natural vegetation throughout the basin is largely affected by cilamet characteristics, thus antropogenic steppes and steppe vegetation are dominant in the middle and upper catchment areas.