Ali Bagheri
Abstract
The water crisis in contemporary Iran is undoubtedly not just an environmental or technical challenge, but also a symbol of a crisis of governance and trust. An examination of the evolution of water governance in Iran after the revolution shows how various government policies, in interaction with social ...
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The water crisis in contemporary Iran is undoubtedly not just an environmental or technical challenge, but also a symbol of a crisis of governance and trust. An examination of the evolution of water governance in Iran after the revolution shows how various government policies, in interaction with social and economic conditions, have gradually led to an escalation of water scarcity and the emergence of widespread dissatisfaction.This note reviews the developments in the field of water governance in post-revolutionary Iran, analyzes the power dynamics between the state and society, and emphasizes the need to redefine the concepts of conflict and the real participation of stakeholders in water resources management.
Water Management and Economy
Ehsan Fathi; Mohammadreza Ekhtesasi; Ali Talebi; Jamal Mosaffaie
Abstract
This study examines the state of water resources governance in the Ilam Dam watershed. Water resource governance is a multifaceted concept involving interactions between institutional factors, public support, and adaptability to future changes. To evaluate these factors, questionnaires were designed ...
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This study examines the state of water resources governance in the Ilam Dam watershed. Water resource governance is a multifaceted concept involving interactions between institutional factors, public support, and adaptability to future changes. To evaluate these factors, questionnaires were designed and distributed among three main groups: managers, experts, and watershed residents. The results from the data analysis indicate that in terms of public support, the average scores given by managers, experts, and residents were 3.92, 3.84, and 3.78, respectively, indicating a good status but highlighting the need for increased awareness and more active public participation. The institutional factor, with average scores of 3.62 for managers and experts and 3.50 for residents, also shows a good status. These results reflect the relative efficiency of existing institutions, but there is a need for further strengthening, increased transparency, and accountability. The adaptability factor, with average scores of 3.98 for managers, 3.86 for experts, and 3.65 for residents, indicates a relatively good ability to face future changes and challenges. However, the lower scores from residents highlight the need for greater focus on empowering the local community and improving early warning systems. According to the results, the overall state of water governance from the perspective of managers, experts, and residents of the watershed was evaluated as good, with scores of 3.84, 3.77, and 3.64, respectively. Enhancing public engagement, strengthening managerial institutions, and improving the adaptive capacities of the local community can contribute to better water resource governance and sustainable development.
Water Management and Economy
maryam mahmoodi; Hossein Mirzaei; Ali yousofi; Mohamad Fazeli
Abstract
The water crisis is one of the most important crises in Iran, and solving it requires examining the causes. The empirical literature indicates that the primary cause of Iran's water crisis lies first in the state's entry into water management and subsequently in its inefficiency in managing water resources. ...
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The water crisis is one of the most important crises in Iran, and solving it requires examining the causes. The empirical literature indicates that the primary cause of Iran's water crisis lies first in the state's entry into water management and subsequently in its inefficiency in managing water resources. However, this literature does not address why and how the state entered water governance and centralized its control. Inspired by Mollinga's embeddedness approach and historical institutionalism, and utilizing the concepts of context and critical juncture, this study examines the history of state intervention in water governance and identifies key junctures. Findings reveal that the water governance context, including empowering farmers to pay taxes, drought and food supply needs, developmental approaches during modern state formation, and the class base of parliamentary representatives and officials, led to the first critical juncture: the establishment of the Irrigation Organization in 1943. This organization allowed for the state's participatory involvement in water management. Over the next 20 years, contextual changes—such as increased state financial resources, shifts in officials' class structures, suppression of opposition, the rise of Mohammad Reza Shah's power, and the use of water projects for state-building—established the hydraulic mission among elites. To implement this mission, the state required a powerful bureaucracy, realized with the Ministry of Water and Power's establishment. Thus, the state gained centralized and exclusive control over water governance.
Water Management and Economy
Seyedeh Mohaddeseh Taheri; Masoud Abdollahpour; Kamran Davary
Abstract
In this Conceptual-analytical article, the concept of water accounting and the necessity of the role of water accounting in water governance have been explained, as well as the correction of common previous beliefs and assumptions, and the step-by-step description of the water accounting cycle. For this ...
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In this Conceptual-analytical article, the concept of water accounting and the necessity of the role of water accounting in water governance have been explained, as well as the correction of common previous beliefs and assumptions, and the step-by-step description of the water accounting cycle. For this purpose, the basic concepts related to these issues, such as food security, water security, water accounting and water auditing have been proposed at the beginning. Then, the key features of the water accounting approach, as well as the importance of water accounting and auditing as a tool for evaluating good governance, have been considered in detail. At the end, the topics of water accounting and auditing in water management and governance have been stated and the final conclusion has been made. Water accounting provides information about the trend of water supply and demand in space and time and examines the underlying causes of the imbalance in water supply and demand by different water users, the stability of the current level of water consumption, and the efficiency or effectiveness of water use by different stakeholders. Therefore, water accounting is increasingly considered critical for evidence-based policymaking related to water resources. In practice, basic information, including biophysical and technical data, does not necessarily translate into relevant political choices and their successful implementation on the ground. Many theories have attributed the growing challenges in water resources to a "crisis of governance". Understanding the physical and technical limitations in water resource management approaches, as well as the importance of institutional and political factors in shaping water-related policies and determining the methods of implementing these policies, seems essential.
Water Management and Economy
Zakeyeh Aftabi; Morad kaviani Rad; Hamid kardan moghadam
Abstract
Social conflicts over water resources are one of the most important and growing challenges in today's society, rooted in the scarcity of water resources. With population growth, climate change, and a host of other factors, water resources have become limited, leading to social conflict and strife. This ...
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Social conflicts over water resources are one of the most important and growing challenges in today's society, rooted in the scarcity of water resources. With population growth, climate change, and a host of other factors, water resources have become limited, leading to social conflict and strife. This applied research has explained the scenarios resulting from the socio-political conflicts of Iraq’s water based on the hydropolitical relations between Iran and Iraq using a descriptive-analytical method and Mic Mac, Scenario Wizard, and Vensim software. The results of the research showed that ethnic tensions on both sides of the border, Turkey's dam construction on the branches of the Tigris and Euphrates, climate change, the level of attention to advanced technologies in water resource management, the dependence of livelihoods in western Iran and eastern Iraq on water resources, sustainable development, and paramilitary groups were selected as key variables affecting the hydropolitical relations between Iran and Iraq resulting from the social conflicts of water in Iraq. Imagining different states from critical to desirable for key variables, the scenario of hydropolitical relations between Iran and Iraq, resulting from social conflicts in Iraq, showed it to be critical. In this regard, strengthening hydrodiplomacy and regional cooperation; cooperation between Iran and Iraq to negotiate with Turkey to respect the rights of downstream countries; investment in new technologies for water resources management; the establishment of water-efficient industries in western Iran and eastern Iraq; and attention to the linkage of water, food, and energy in integrated water resources management were suggested as the most important solutions to prevent the creation of a critical situation.
Water Management and Economy
Ehsan Tamassoki; Sajid Bahrami Jaf,; Javad Momeni Damaneh; Seyed Mohammad Tajbakhsh Fakhrabadi
Abstract
Water, a vital element for socio-spatial sustainability, has emerged as a central issue in geopolitics in recent decades due to factors such as climate change, population growth, and economic development. This applied research, employing a descriptive-analytical approach, investigates the primary drivers ...
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Water, a vital element for socio-spatial sustainability, has emerged as a central issue in geopolitics in recent decades due to factors such as climate change, population growth, and economic development. This applied research, employing a descriptive-analytical approach, investigates the primary drivers influencing the transformation of watershed governance systems within the hydropolitical context of the transboundary Harirud River. The main objective of this study is to identify and analyze the key drivers shaping the future of hydropolitical relations in this watershed. The findings reveal four primary drivers: a focus on socio-economic issues aligned with the hydropolitical objectives of water resources, an emphasis on local water governance, coordinated management of transboundary watersheds, and the utilization of indigenous knowledge, rainwater harvesting, and flood management. These drivers, identified by experts, are the most critical factors influencing hydropolitical relations in the Harirud watershed. The results underscore the necessity of a comprehensive and integrated approach to watershed governance that encompasses social, institutional, international, and technical dimensions. The findings highlight the critical importance of these drivers in ensuring regional water sustainability and security, mitigating potential conflicts, and facilitating transboundary cooperation for the optimal and sustainable management of shared water resources in the Harirud watershed.
Water Management and Economy
حسین دانش مهر; Osmaan Hedayat
Abstract
The water crisis in Iran has been viewed as a natural tragedy, and the solutions to address it have been primarily understood within hydrological discussions as centralized, technocratic, and lacking participatory mechanisms. The present study rejects this perspective and, adopting a bottom-up approach ...
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The water crisis in Iran has been viewed as a natural tragedy, and the solutions to address it have been primarily understood within hydrological discussions as centralized, technocratic, and lacking participatory mechanisms. The present study rejects this perspective and, adopting a bottom-up approach along with Ostrom's theory of common resource governance and the theory of social hydrology, seeks to analyze the narratives of farmers in the villages of Dehgolan in confronting the water crisis and its relationship with their lifeworld. The fundamental assumption has been that farmers, as the first and most important stakeholders of water resources, possess a distinct understanding and approach to confrontation. The resulting data have been interpreted and explained as rich socio-political texts, aiming to reveal how the ecological water crisis is intertwined with governance crisis, social justice, and institutional marginalization. The narrative analysis methodology was adopted, and to this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 farmers from 11 villages in Dehgolan County. The findings were interpreted and explained through 5 secondary categories and 1 core category. The results indicated that the lifeworld of farmers in this critical situation and water governance has become fragile. The fragility of the lifeworld of Dehgolan farmers stems from the triple interaction of weak institutional governance, the dominance of market rules, and impractical environmental awareness. These factors have led to reactive behaviors among farmers in this context, resulting in socio-cultural transformation and the denial of their collective agency by institutions and each other. Therefore, a paradigm shift in governance (transitioning from centralized to participatory approaches) and a redefinition of the relationship between the market, the environment, and society seem necessary, whereby the role and position of farmers become central to the participation and management of water resources.
Water Management and Economy
Mojtaba soleimani damaneh; Hamid-Reza Rakhshaninasab; Hamid Nazaripour
Abstract
The statistical population consists of specialists and experts in the water sector, 35 people have been selected as the sample size by the two-stage Delphi method. The information has been analyzed through analysis, inference, and decision-making techniques of BWM and PIPRECIA. The results of the analysis ...
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The statistical population consists of specialists and experts in the water sector, 35 people have been selected as the sample size by the two-stage Delphi method. The information has been analyzed through analysis, inference, and decision-making techniques of BWM and PIPRECIA. The results of the analysis show that the existing challenges of drinking water in Kerman city include: decreasing levels of drinking water supply resources, increasing population, urbanization, increasing area and physical surface of the city, high water consumption in car washes, green spaces, and industries, unauthorized branches, and harsh climatic conditions. The results of the BWM technique indicate that the social dimension with a value of 0.259 ranks first and is recognized as the most important challenge, the economic dimension with a value of 0.250 ranks second, the political dimension with a score of 0.246 ranks third, and finally the environmental dimension with a final value of 0.243 ranks last in the challenge of the freshwater crisis in Kerman city. The results of the PIPRECIA technique in measuring the ranking of the drinking water challenges index in Kerman city show that the challenge of conflict and disagreement between the city and other cities in the province with a weight of 0.0442 is the most important challenge and ranks first, the threat to public health and well-being with a weight of 0.04404 is ranked second, and the increase in living costs with a weight of 0.044047 is ranked third.
Water Transfer & Hydraulic Structures
pari maleki; khashayar namdarian
Abstract
In order to deal with the challenges caused by the limitations of water resources in the path of social and economic development, various models of pressure management methods have been proposed and developed all over the world. One of the pressure and leakage management methods in water distribution ...
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In order to deal with the challenges caused by the limitations of water resources in the path of social and economic development, various models of pressure management methods have been proposed and developed all over the world. One of the pressure and leakage management methods in water distribution networks is the use of Pressure Reducing Valves and the creation of District Metered Areas, for the effective operation of these valves, it is very important to determine the appropriate position and regulated pressure. In the present study, the effect of the pressure zoning method on pressure management and network leakage reduction was investigated using a hydraulic model. For this purpose, with the help of WaterGEMS software, the hydraulic model of the water distribution network of Dorud city was designed and the model was calibrated using the information of flow measurement and pressure measurement, then the hydraulic analyses were performed. Based on the obtained results, the distribution network of this city was divided into 4 zones, and in addition to the existing pressure reducing valves, 4 new pressure reducing valves were proposed for pressure regulation. The results showed that applying zoning reduced the average pressure across the network by 17%, which led to an average leakage reduction of 17%. According to the results of the presented method, it has a proper efficiency in managing the pressure and leakage of the water distribution network.
Surface and Groundwater Resources
Hossein Mohammadzadeh; mahdi torshizi
Abstract
The dependence of the residents' livelihoods on agriculture in the Roshtkhar Plain and the increase in population have caused the indiscriminate extraction from deep wells, as the main source of water supply. The result of which was a severe drop in the water level and a critical situation in the ...
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The dependence of the residents' livelihoods on agriculture in the Roshtkhar Plain and the increase in population have caused the indiscriminate extraction from deep wells, as the main source of water supply. The result of which was a severe drop in the water level and a critical situation in the Roshtkhar aquifer. In order to reduce the crisis, several management activities have been carried out, including the installation of smart meters (SMs) on the wells in 2015, as a subset of the rehabilitation and balancing plan. Investigating the trend of changes in 20-year hydrographs of observation wells, as well as calculated operation hours and energy consumption of their corresponding selected agricultural wells, and the graphs of the changes in energy consumption and operation hours shows a considerable decrease in the slope of the water level changes trend line after installing the SMs, compared to before installation. So that, in observation wells, which have continuous and correct statistics, there was an average decrease of 46.4% in the drop of water level after SMs installation. In addition, with installing SMs, the actual working hours and energy consumption of the selected wells have decreased by 11.7% and 22.8%, respectively, for the two similar time periods before and after installation. Due to the severe to very severe drought conditions in Roshtkhar over the past 10 years, the climate situation did not have much effect on reducing energy consumption and operating hours of wells, as well as improving the trend of water level changes.
Irrigation and Agriculture
Iman Hajirad
Abstract
Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) technology with traditional irrigation systems is an effective step toward advancing smart irrigation. Due to its critical role in ensuring food security and preserving global water resources, optimal water management has become a major challenge. Traditional irrigation ...
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Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) technology with traditional irrigation systems is an effective step toward advancing smart irrigation. Due to its critical role in ensuring food security and preserving global water resources, optimal water management has become a major challenge. Traditional irrigation methods in many regions lead to the waste of both water and human resources. Smart irrigation systems are designed to optimize water use and enhance agricultural productivity. In addition to reducing water consumption, these systems improve efficiency and overall agricultural performance. Various techniques have been developed to assess soil moisture and plant water stress, helping to prevent unnecessary irrigation. This study first examines different smart irrigation management methods and the tools utilized in these systems. It then compares these technologies with traditional irrigation methods and evaluates their impact on water conservation. Research findings indicate that smart irrigation systems based on soil moisture sensors, evapotranspiration, and rainfall have achieved water savings of 20% to 41.5%, 20% to 48%, and 7% to 50%, respectively, compared to traditional irrigation. Additionally, sensor-based optical systems have proven to be more effective than conventional experimental and laboratory methods in assessing plant and soil variations. Therefore, implementing smart irrigation systems in agriculture is recommended as an efficient strategy for optimizing water consumption.
Irrigation and Agriculture
zahra Shirmohammadi-Aliakbarkhani
Abstract
Evapotranspiration is one of the most important components in water and energy balance, and its accurate estimation is necessary for water resource management, irrigation scheduling, and environmental studies. In recent years, the application of machine learning (ML) techniques has provided a promising ...
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Evapotranspiration is one of the most important components in water and energy balance, and its accurate estimation is necessary for water resource management, irrigation scheduling, and environmental studies. In recent years, the application of machine learning (ML) techniques has provided a promising approach to improving ET prediction accuracy. In this study, two artificial neural network models, multilayer perceptron (MLP) and radial basis function (RBF), were used to estimate reference crop ET at Mashhad, Sabzevar, and Torbat-e Jam stations in Razavi Khorasan province. Meteorological data, including temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and sunshine hours, were collected and normalized from 1992 to 2023. The ET values calculated by the FAO Penman-Monteith method were used as target values for training the models. The results showed that the neural network models, especially MLP, could provide accurate estimates of ET and performed better than the Linacre and Hargreaves-Samani methods. Excluding wind speed at Torbat-e Jam and Mashhad stations resulted in a 5.1% decrease in the coefficient of determination (R²), while at Sabzevar, this decrease was 11.3%. In contrast, excluding sunshine hours had a negligible impact on model accuracy. These findings emphasize the high potential of artificial neural networks in estimating ET in data-scarce conditions and can contribute to the optimal management of agricultural water resources in the studied region.
Irrigation and Agriculture
Omid Raja; Masoud Parsinejad; Afshin Khorsand; Behdad Chehrenegar
Abstract
The accurate estimation of evapotranspiration in greenhouses is crucial for the optimal utilization of water resources and accurate irrigation scheduling, leading to improved water use efficiency. Various experimental and physical models are commonly used to estimate evapotranspiration based on climate ...
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The accurate estimation of evapotranspiration in greenhouses is crucial for the optimal utilization of water resources and accurate irrigation scheduling, leading to improved water use efficiency. Various experimental and physical models are commonly used to estimate evapotranspiration based on climate data. In this review, the relationship between greenhouse technology and reference models for estimating evapotranspiration (ETo) or crop evapotranspiration estimation models (ETc) was analysed. The classification of greenhouses, the equipment commonly used, and the data collected for ETo and ETc measurements were also analysed in this study. In general, this study aimed to evaluate, and summarise the currently available ETo and ETc models used in different greenhouse categories, and to assess the degree of accuracy of the widely used models in estimating ETo and ETc. The results showed that the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith equation performed best among all models and can be considered as the best method for estimating ETo in low-tech plastic greenhouses that are widely used in Iran. If greenhouse ETc models become more user-friendly and accessible, the likelihood or chance of rapid dissemination and adoption of advances in ETc estimation technology by a larger community of greenhouse crop producers will increase. The overview presented in this study highlighted the relationship between greenhouse technology and ETo and ETc models. Studies have also shown that the knowledge and methods available in ETc measurements can positively increase the sustainability of greenhouse agriculture.
Risk, Sustainability and Resilience
محمد اسکندری نسب
Volume 12, Issue 2 , September 2025
Abstract
These are exciting times for computational sciences with the digital revolution permeating a variety of areas and radically transforming business, science, and our daily lives. The Internet and the World Wide Web, GPS, satellite communications, remote sensing, and smartphones are dramatically accelerating ...
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These are exciting times for computational sciences with the digital revolution permeating a variety of areas and radically transforming business, science, and our daily lives. The Internet and the World Wide Web, GPS, satellite communications, remote sensing, and smartphones are dramatically accelerating the pace of discovery, engendering globally connected networks of people and devices. The rise of practically relevant artificial intelligence (AI) is also playing an increasing part in this revolution, fostering e-commerce, social networks, personalized medicine, IBM Watson and AlphaGo, self-driving cars, and other groundbreaking transformations.Key InsightsComputer science enriches sustainability. Computer scientists can and should make important contributions to help address key societal and environmental challenges facing humanity, in pursuit of a sustainable future. The new field of computational sustainability brings these efforts together.Sustainability enriches computer In turn, working on sustainability problems, which involve uncertainty, machine learning, optimization, remote sensing, and decision making, enriches computer science by generating compelling new computational problems.Sustainability concerns human well-being and the protection of the planet. A large group of computer science researchers, collaborating with an even larger group of domain from social, environmental, and natural sciences, can drive computational sustainability in ways that would not be possible in a smaller or less interdisciplinary setting.
Water Management and Economy
Abuzar Hatami Yazd; fatemeh ravankhah
Volume 12, Issue 2 , September 2025
Abstract
Water conflicts represent inevitable challenges in societies facing increasing scarcity and competing demands for limited resources. Addressing these conflicts requires intelligent governance approaches grounded in active community participation and endogenous development. This analytical paper traces ...
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Water conflicts represent inevitable challenges in societies facing increasing scarcity and competing demands for limited resources. Addressing these conflicts requires intelligent governance approaches grounded in active community participation and endogenous development. This analytical paper traces the historical evolution of water management in Iran—from traditional community-based systems to centralized state control—and critically examines the negative consequences of the state’s monopolistic and bureaucratic approach. Building upon theoretical foundations such as Ostrom’s commons governance principles, the subsidiarity principle, and social–ecological resilience theory, the study emphasizes the necessity of redefining the government’s role from a direct operator to a facilitator and regulator. Drawing on successful experiences from Iran (Tajan and Tazehabad), as well as Kenya, Uganda, and Peru, the paper proposes a stepwise framework for a gradual transition toward community-based water management. The findings indicate that empowering local institutions, utilizing indigenous knowledge, and ensuring participatory monitoring can substantially reduce social tensions, improve water sustainability, and decrease management costs. The study concludes that the water crisis in Iran is primarily a governance crisis and recommends legal reforms, transparency mechanisms, and pilot projects to institutionalize participatory governance and enhance national water resilience.Keywords: Water conflicts, community participation, state control, facilitation, endogenous development, water governance.
Risk, Sustainability and Resilience
mahbobeh farzandi; k. Davary; M.H. Efatpanah
Volume 12, Issue 2 , September 2025
Abstract
Theoretical studies show that the three-dimensional nature of water - as a vital substance, a public good and an economic factor - requires a combined approach in policy-making. In Iran, the water crisis, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, is caused by a combination of natural and human factors. ...
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Theoretical studies show that the three-dimensional nature of water - as a vital substance, a public good and an economic factor - requires a combined approach in policy-making. In Iran, the water crisis, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, is caused by a combination of natural and human factors. This crisis has become one of the main challenges of the country in recent years. In the meantime, participatory governance as a new approach can be considered as an effective tool in managing water resources and improving the resilience of local communities against water crises.This article analyzes the status of water governance by examining upstream documents such as the Seventh Development Plan, as well as reputable global scientific sources and examining important concepts such as water systems, the theory of common goods, Arnstein's participation ladder and new approaches to water resource governance, and provides solutions to strengthen participatory governance. For this purpose, it is necessary to design a framework in which the government plays a role as a facilitating policymaker and the people as the main actors in the decision-making, management, and monitoring process of water resources.
Water Management and Economy
Abuzar Hatami Yazdi; alireza azad
Volume 12, Issue 2 , September 2025
Abstract
This article examines the jurisprudential and legal foundations of water ownership in Iran, combining perspectives from Islamic jurisprudence and Iranian statutory law. Drawing on Qur’anic verses, Hadiths, and established jurisprudential principles, it categorizes water into Anfal (divine property), ...
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This article examines the jurisprudential and legal foundations of water ownership in Iran, combining perspectives from Islamic jurisprudence and Iranian statutory law. Drawing on Qur’anic verses, Hadiths, and established jurisprudential principles, it categorizes water into Anfal (divine property), public commons, and general mubah (permissible) resources, analyzing their differences in terms of possession, ownership, and use rights. The study further explores the concept of water rights (haqq al-ma’) and the relevant jurisprudential principles, including La Darar (no harm), Taslit (authority over property), Ihya’ (revival), and Asbaqiyyah (priority), showing how these principles guide equitable and lawful water utilization. Findings indicate that most Islamic jurists consider water a public resource accessible to all, unless it is legitimately claimed through development or possession. From a legal perspective, the article traces the evolution of Iran’s water laws from the 1928 Civil Code to the 1982 Fair Water Distribution Law, emphasizing the regulatory role of the Islamic government in managing water resources. Finally, the authors propose recognizing all public waters as Anfal, providing a coherent jurisprudential framework that can support sustainable management, reduce conflicts between legal and religious norms, and ensure equitable access for all users.
