Fluvio-tectonic geomorphology of the Upper Section of Balık Lake Stream (Ağrı) Basin

The Upper Section of the Balık Gölü Stream Basin is located southeast of Balık Gölü, which lies on the Iğdır-Ağrı provincial border in the Upper Murat-Van Region of the Eastern Anatolia Region. The main stream of the basin is Balık Gölü Stream, a tributary of Balık Gölü and continuously flowing towards the Doğubayazıt Plain. The study area was shaped by the right-lateral strike-slip Balık Gölü Fault Zone. The primary objective of the study is to reveal the fluvio-tectonic geomorphological characteristics of the basin and to assess the effects of active tectonism in the region using quantitative data using morphometric indices applied to selected river basins. This thesis consists of three sections. The first section examines the geological characteristics, tectonic structure, and seismicity of the study area. The second section discusses the geomorphological characteristics of the region, and the landforms shaped by fluvial and tectonic processes are evaluated in detail. The third and final section presents the results of the morphometric indices applied to the study area, and the findings are evaluated and interpreted. The basin morphology and drainage systems of the study area have been shaped by both tectonic movements and lithological differences. The presence of the BGFZ in the southern part of the basin has caused the landforms in this section to exhibit more pronounced morphological differences compared to the northern part. Tectonic pressure ridges, slide ridges, offset streams, and fault scarps are commonly observed in the south. Disruptions to the drainage network are noticeable in the basin, with stream branches changing direction or being interrupted along fault lines. Furthermore, mass movements are frequently observed in the southern part due to the steep slope morphology and tectonic deformation conditions.