Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal

Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal

Sustainable Groundwater Management Scenarios: Case Study of the Upper Karkheh Basin

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, College of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.
2 Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, College of Agriculture, Lorestan University, Lorestan, Iran.
3 Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, College of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University (TMU), Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Groundwater resources consist of multiple subsystems that are constantly evolving, and these changes will undoubtedly continue in the future, affecting the status of water resources. Therefore, management can only be successful in this system if it simultaneously considers the various dimensions and their impacts. In this context, foresight provides the opportunity to evaluate different aspects of issues and analyze the interconnections among all dimensions of the system at the same time. Accordingly, this study adopts a foresight approach with an emphasis on social and human aspects to provide a novel perspective on sustainable groundwater management. The present research is applied and cross-sectional and employs foresight techniques, including driver analysis and scenario development, to examine the objectives, making it a forward-looking and normative study. The study population includes water resource management experts in the agricultural sector in the study area. The results indicate that nine scenarios exist in the study region, which require serious planning to select the most optimal scenario. Attention must be given to key areas such as the development of rural infrastructure, water pricing, and the promotion of small and micro-enterprises to reduce pressure on the agricultural sector, while simultaneously implementing watershed management projects. Overall, the findings demonstrate that achieving sustainable groundwater management cannot be accomplished through a single-dimensional approach, and it is necessary to simultaneously consider the influence and interdependence of all subsystems.
Keywords

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