An Integrated Water Resources Management Considering Agricultural Demands and the Assessment of Different Scenarios in Hirmand Catchment, Iran

Abstract

The lack of water resources as a critical substance and the increase of water demands and also the complexity of water resources management issues are made the integrated water resource management as an essential tool. In this study considering different water demands, planning and policy analysis in the Sistan region, with the water evaluation and planning system (WEAP) and applying the sub-model of irrigation demands of the FAO crop requirements approach is used. Water planning and policies are defined and simulated with 15 scenarios from 2015 to 2030. Based on the results, Implementation of policies such as the increasing of irrigation efficiency in the agricultural consumption had a positive effect on the saving of the water resources and the water scarcity reduces. Also due to the priority of supplying drinking water in all scenarios, no unmet demand is observed in this part of consumption. Moreover when the industrial demand is joined to the consumptions as a stakeholder, the amount of less water is released for the agricultural and wetlands demands. Therefore, it is recommended that different scenarios be implemented such as increasing of the irrigation efficiency, reducing of the cultivation area and reducing the domestic water consumption.