Compilation and Validation of the Fundamental Criteria for the Integrated Management of Water Resources in Dry and Semi-arid Regions

Abstract

With regard to the ineffectiveness of water resources management by structural and part-time approaches, new trends in water resource management have come into use on the basis of evaluating ecological systems in terms of economic security, change of demand-driven management to supply-driven management, and regional balanced development management planning instead of partial development of water. This study seeks to develop and validate the fundamental criteria for integrated water resources management using participatory tools and expert opinions. Using analytical and computational techniques in the Delphi model, the components and indicators of the sustainable management of water resources are identified and validated. By a two-stage methodology, the opinions of experts in the field are gathered and the results are analyzed using AHP. A sustainable management model is finally derived in terms of environmental, social, economic, and institutional criteria as well as 12 sub-criteria ranked by the paired scoring system and validated with the Expert Quiz software. Based on the experts' opinions, six options are identified for resource sustainability. According to the experts, the integrated water resources management model is the most sustainable model for water resources management in arid and semi-arid regions. In this research, this model is developed through validating the environmental, social, economic and institutional indicators.