Water Resources In Iran Research Articles

Multi-objective conflict resolution optimization model for reservoir's selective depth water withdrawal considering water quality.

This paper develops a multi-objective conflict resolution simulation-optimization model based on a leader-follower game to resolve conflicts between different water users while optimizing water quality in the river through selective depth water withdrawal from the reservoir. Iran Water Resources Management Company (IWRMC), given the nature of the power distribution in this region, is selected as leader, and agricultural, domestic, and industrial water users are selected as followers. Nash-Harsanyi bargaining theory is used as a nested model in this general framework to model competition between followers. The proposed selective withdrawal approach considers four reservoir outlets, located at 120, 145, 163, and 181 m above sea level. Water withdrawal from multiple outlets addresses reservoir thermal stratification and water quality. Temperature and water quality are simulated based on different possible scenarios of reservoir inflow and release using a calibrated CE-QUAL-W2 model. Five artificial neural network (ANN) surrogate/meta models are then trained and validated based on CE-QUAL-W2 model results for each water quality variable. Subsequently, these validated surrogate models are coupled with the NSGA-II optimization model, which along with the utility functions of different stakeholders, constitute the building blocks of our conflict resolution multi-objective optimization model. Finally, three decision-making methods, namely AHP, PROMETHEE, and TOPSIS, are utilized to choose the superior compromise solution. Our results show that water withdrawal from multiple reservoir outlets ensures optimal water allocation to different stakeholders while satisfying the desired water quality criteria. In this study, the top outlet (181 m) has desirable quality, and the IRWQISC water quality criterion at the top and deepest outlets are highest and lowest, respectively.

Explaining farmers’ response to climate change-induced water stress through cognitive theory of stress: an Iranian perspective

This study investigates the underlying causes of farmers’ adaptation responses in the face of the negative impacts of climate change on water resources in Iran. We applied the theory of cognitive stress to examine and clarify how farmers respond to climate change-induced water stress as an environmental stressor, using a multistage, clustered, random sampling method of farmers (n = 250) in a survey conducted in southwestern Iran. Our analyses revealed that both demand appraisal and self-efficacy are significant predictors of problem-focused coping, which, in turn, influenced farmers’ adaptation responses. The theory accounted for 31% of the variance in farmers’ problem-focused coping behavior, which, in turn, accounts for around 39% of the variance in adaptation responses. We anticipate that the findings will result in recommendations for policymakers and advisors to extension organizations and that it will ultimately be used to inform strategies to encourage effective adaptation responses to water scarcity among Iranian farmers.

Variability and change in the hydro-climate and water resources of Iran over a recent 30-year period

Comprehensive assessment of hydro-climatic variations and change trends is essential for understanding, mitigating, and adapting to key water resource changes in different parts of the world. We performed such an assessment on Iran, as representative of an arid/semi-arid and geopolitically important world region. We acquired and calculated data time series of surface temperature (T), precipitation (P), runoff (R), evapotranspiration (ET), and water storage change (DS), to determine their status and changes in and among the 30 main hydrological basins in Iran over the period 1986–2016. From 1986–2000 to 2001–2016, the country warmed, P mostly decreased and R even more so, while water storage was depleted (DS < 0) and ET increased in some basins. Overall, the extra water provided from primarily groundwater depletion has fed and kept ET at levels beyond those sustained by the annually renewable water input from P. This indicates unsustainable use of water for maintaining and expanding human activities, such as irrigated agriculture, in this part of the world.

The water crisis in Iran: Development or destruction?

AbstractThis study investigates Iran's water resources, crisis intensity, causes, and solutions to control and mitigate water crisis. The emphasis is on Kashan city as symbol of the Karizian civilization in central of Iran, which is now facing problems in both quality and quantity of water. Carried out as a library and documentary research, we reviewed the status of Kashan's and Iran's water resources, and identified four major reasons for the present water crisis on a local and national wide scale: (a) lack of land use spatial planning; (b) mismanagement, thirst for development, and self‐sufficiency: (c) political decisions on water allocation; and (d) lack of proper water pricing and inability of farmers to optimize irrigation systems. As a consequence, the country is challenged with severe water problems at both local and nation‐wide scale, including increasing water demand and scarcity, decreasing groundwater table, deteriorating water quality, and increasing loss of ecosystems. If integrated water resources management plan is not immediately implemented to solve this problem, it is possible that the condition will be more disastrous in the coming years. The study proposes some actions that should be immediately applied to protect water resources and avoid tragic conditions in a country with a brilliant and long history in water resources management.

An investigation of the climate change impacts on the water resources in Iran

Climate change may be defined as a change in the timing of weather conditions over a period of time. In this paper, relying on IPCC scenarios to investigate the effects of climate change on water resources.

Spatial distribution and potential health risks of heavy metal(loid)s present in drinking water resources of Iran

Spatial distribution and potential health risks of heavy metal(loid)s present in drinking water resources of Iran

Policymaking and Water Crisis in Iran

The water crisis in Iran for nearly two decades has become an important concern for people and politicians and has always been raised in the media. Locating in dry and semi-arid belt and low rainfall, there are few water resources in Iran. Resource management should offset water scarcity through a variety of methods, due to population growth and agricultural and industrial development . The government has the most important role in this regard, which needs to have a good policy for water management. However, at the present moment water crisis is not considered as a priority for policymakers, and the lack of a well-structured program, as well as poor performance of the authorities has worsened the country’s water resources. Various institutions are involved in water resources management, which are generally divided into policy and executive institutions. Water resources policymakers have not yet come up with coherent and clear policies for understanding the water crisis and for a genuine crisis resolution. In the area of executive bodies, every water-related entity, regardless of the water crisis and the consequences of implementing sectoral policies on water resources, is trying to meet its organizational goals. The lack of expertise and coherent policies in the face of the water crisis and the implementation of sectoral policies without sufficient attention to water scarcity have put the country’s development policies on the water resources and the challenges of the water crisis are constantly increasing. The main question of the article is what is the policy of water in Iran since 2001? Based on this question, our hypothesis is that the water crisis is not well positioned in macroeconomic policy, leading to a lack of clear and comprehensive planning for the crisis and that existing programs are partly due to lack of coordination between institutions and agencies. The water crisis has not finally come to end.

Improving water management in date palms using economic value of water footprint and virtual water trade concepts in Iran

Iran has the second rank in production and cultivation area and the fifth in exporting date palm in the world. Even though the date palm has a high economic value, due to the water crisis in Iran, the effect of date palm production on the water resources along with its economic value should be considered. This research assesses the index of water footprint and economic value of water footprint for three cultivars of date palms, including the soft, semi-dry and dry during the period 2008–2016. Through this study, these indices have been computed for date palms and compared with the other agricultural products in Iran. Finally, the results are used for prioritization of the cultivated area. The outputs show that the average footprint and economic value of water footprint for date palm is 3.02 m3/kg and 0.59 USD/m3, respectively, which in this regards the share of green, blue and grey water footprint are 9.1 %, 76.9 %, and 14 %. The maximum value of water footprint (8.6 m3/kg) and economic value of water footprint (1.49 USD/m3) belongs to the dry date palm while the minimum value of those indices is 0.97 m3/kg and 0.19 USD/m3 which belongs to the semi-dry date palm. In comparison the date palm with 43 agricultural products in Iran, the dry date palm is ranked 33 in water footprint and 18 in the economic value of water footprint while the semi-dry and the soft date palms are ranked 33 and 34 in water footprint and 29 and 30 in the economic value of water footprint. The volume of water footprint for date palm is about 2437 million cubic meters (MCM) per year in Iran, which the share of soft, semi-dry, and dry date palms are 79.6 %, 18 %, and 2.45 % respectively. The volume of the exported virtual water is 1243 MCM with 733 million USD economic value of water footprint, whereas the net benefit of exported date palm is one-quarter of its economic value of water footprint. The results of this study show that the indices discussed through this study capable to provide valuable information for prioritization of date palm cultivation and management of water resources in Iran.

Water Crisis in Making in Iran

Iran is located in an arid and semi-arid region and is currently facing a serious water crisis. The climate change, droughts and political and economic problems are believed to have aggravated the water crisis. As a result, management solutions to resolve the water crisis are critically important. This paper discusses the current status of water resources in Iran and the root causes of water crisis, including population growth, inefficient agriculture, concurrent droughts and mismanagement of available water. If Iran wants to survive, it must prioritize water resources management in the country.

Mean versus Extreme Precipitation Trends in Iran over the Period 1960–2017

Iran is located in one of the Earth’s dry belts. Subtropical high-pressure and inland deserts have created arid and semiarid conditions for about 75% of the country’s area. In addition to this natural dryness, recent global climate change has also affected precipitation in different parts of Iran in terms of both mean and extreme amounts. Precipitation extremes can have many negative effects on different parts of the Earth’s ecosystems. The possible pattern of precipitation trends during recent years merits further study given the potentially important impacts on agriculture and water resources in Iran. Globally, observations show significant changes in the characteristics of extreme precipitation. To study recent trends in mean and extreme precipitation events in Iran, we examined a number of mean and extreme precipitation indices for a 58-year period (1960–2017) for 33 synoptic stations throughout the country. Daily precipitation data were collected from the Iranian Meteorological Organization for this period for all stations. Nine precipitation-based indices (one mean and eight extreme) were employed to study precipitation trends. The results showed that most areas have undergone a significant increasing trend in extreme precipitation values, precipitation intensity, and precipitation frequency. Significant positive trends were seen in the southwestern regions of Iran and the coasts of the Persian Gulf for the same precipitation indices. The results of this study could be used by managers and experts for long-term planning.

Impact of climate change on water resources in Iran

Climate change may be defined as a change in the time variation of weather conditions over a period of time. It is caused due to amount of precipitation, temperature, rate of evaporation, and variation in solar radiation received by earth. Other than that, human activities have also been identified as significant causes of climate change and often referred to as global warming, and all regions of the world are expected to experience a net negative impact of climate change on water resources and freshwater ecosystems where, intensity and characteristics of the impact can vary significantly from region to region. It is worth mentioning that flash floods and drought are a worldwide hazard and it is necessary to address these complicated events. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the climate to provide adequate supplies of good-quality water for all people living today and future generations and sustain crucial functions of ecosystems. Several models have been used to predict climate change but long-term prediction of weather parameter is a challenge required for water resources management. For this reason, Fourier series and The Francou and Rodier empirical approach have been used for assessment of precipitation and flood analysis, respectively. It has been found that, the main effects of climate change related to water resources are rising temperature, shifts in precipitation patterns, snow cover, and increasing the likelihood of floods and droughts. Climate change may significantly change the seasonal variation in river flow changes too.

A comparative study of the performance of artificial neural network and multivariate regression in simulating springs discharge in the Caspian Southern Watersheds, Iran

While there are different methods and models that can be applied to estimate the qualitative and quantitative parameters of water resources, unfortunately, no comprehensive qualitative and quantitative data exist about water resources in Iran. The present study is to compare the performance of the artificial neural network (ANN) and the multivariate regression methods in simulating spring discharge in the Caspian Southern Watersheds. Multivariate regression method was used by using SPSS software. Springs average discharge was considered as the dependent variable and other affecting factors as independent variables. Two linear models were presented for estimating the alluvial and karst springs discharge. Then, the models’ performance was evaluated and confirmed. Also, the artificial neural network was applied to simulate the alluvial and karst springs discharge. ANN performance was evaluated through two parameters: median root of square of the error and Pearson’s R-squared statistics. The results showed that the most important factors of karst springs discharge were the porosity of aquifer formation and the site elevation; in case of the alluvial springs, the transmissivity of aquifer formation and the aquifer depth were the most important factors. Moreover, ANN efficiency in estimating springs discharge was higher than that of the multivariate regression method.

Prevalence of Legionella Species in Water Resources of Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Legionella species are ubiquitous and naturally found in lakes, rivers, streams and hot springs, and other water resources. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Legionella species in water resources of Iran by a systematic review and meta-analysis. In search of papers relevant to the prevalence of Legionella in water resources of Iran, the scientific information database in both English and Persian languages was used. The search was limited to studies between the year 2000 and end of July 2016. Each cohort and cross-sectional study that reported the contamination of water with Legionella was included in the present study. For data analysis, comprehensive meta-analysis software with Cochran's Q and I2 tests were used. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The prevalence of Legionella species in water resources of Iran was 27.3% (95% CI: 25.3-29.3). The prevalence of Legionella spp. in hospital water, dental settings water, and other water resources were 28.8% (95% CI: 26.4-31.2), 23.6% (95% CI: 16.1-33.2), and 29.6% (95% CI: 25.6-33.8), respectively. The most common Legionella species was L. pneumophila with a prevalence of 60.5% (95% CI: 53.3-67.2) and the prevalence of all other species was 52.5% (95% CI: 44.7-60.2). The highest prevalence was reported in Isfahan with 55.7% (95% CI: 48.0-63.0). Based on the results, the prevalence rate of Legionella species in water resources of Iran was high and the most common Legionella species was L. pneumophila.

Radon 222 in drinking water resources of Iran: A systematic review, meta-analysis and probabilistic risk assessment (Monte Carlo simulation)

The current study was performed to review the conducted studies regarding the concentration of radon 222 in the tap drinking water; furthermore, by estimation of ingestion and inhalation effective dose, the health risk assessment in the adults and children using MCS technique was assessed. All related studies published among January 1990 to October 2016; were screened in the available databases such as Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, SID, and Irandoc. The total effective dose was estimated by calculating Eing (Effective dose of ingestion) and Einh (Effective dose of inhalation) by Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method. The range of ND ─ 40.9 Bq/L for radon 222 in water resources was proposed after evaluation of data collected from 13 studies with 1079 samples. The overall concentration of radon 222 in drinking water in Iran was 3.98: 95%CI (3.79 ─ 4.17 Bq/L). Also, the effective ingestion dose of radon 222 in adults age groups was 1.35 times higher than children. The rank order of drinking water resources based on the concentration of radon 222 was Spring > Spring and Well > Well > Spring and Qanat > Tap water. The overall concentration of radon 222 in drinking water in Iran was lower than WHO and EPA standard limits. Also, the rank order regarding area studied based on the concentration of radon 222 was Gillan > Mashhad > Mazandaran > Kerman > Yazd > Tehran > Kermanshah > Golestan > Hormozgan. The effective ingestion dose of radon 222 to consumers in the Gillan, Mashhad, Mazandaran, and Kerman were higher than WHO guidance (0.1 mSv/y). Also except consumers in the Hormozgan, inhalation effective dose radon 222, in the other investigated areas were higher than WHO guidance (0.1 mSv/y). Therefore, it is recommended to conduct the required programs regarding control and elimination of radon 222 concentration in Iranian drinking water supply.

Wheat Self-Sufficiency, Water Restriction and Virtual Water Trade in Iran

Sustainable food security is one of the policy-making targets in Iran, but water scarcity has always been a challenge to its actualization. Regarding this point, offering policies to address this challenge is essential. On the other hand, wheat is the most important commodity in the food baskets of Iranians, and due to the lack of equality in the supply and demand among the regions, a large amount of wheat is displaced every year. The displacement of wheat has resulted in virtual water trade among the regions and could be a possible solution to manage the water crisis in Iran. With respect to the necessity of research, the present study investigated the effects of economic policies on virtual water trade for wheat using a spatial equilibrium model. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of virtual water trade flow and welfare changes which resulted from making different economic policies in the wheat market. The results showed that the wheat self-sufficiency policy reduces the total amount of virtual water trade, and will increase pressure on the water resources of Iran. The policy of paying tax and receiving subsidies also significantly affect the flow of virtual water trade. But that happens best when tax revenues are equal to the payment of subsidies.

Changing Furrow Irrigation to Increase Efficiency and Feasibility Study of Reusing Surface Runoff

To improve irrigation techniques and the utilization of available water resources in Iran, a first steps re evaluation of traditional irrigation methods. To assess the efficiency of furrow irrigation, a 4-ha plot (87 furrows) cultivated with sugarcane was evaluated in Khuzestan Province. The quantities of inflow, outflow runoff, soil moisture before irrigation, depth of root development and depth of water infiltration were measured and thus the values of water use efficiency, uniformity coefficient, and distribution uniformity were determined for the selected plot. Using Geographical Information System, in ArcView, the irrigation efficiency of its levels were analyzed using two furrow irrigation methods: open and closed-end. The results showed that the irrigation efficiency, uniformity coefficient and distribution uniformity for the open-end than the closed-end method. The prevention of deep infiltration losses (approximately 30% lower than for closed-end) and allowing outflow of end runoff, and depending on water quality, the riffle can be considered ideal for irrigating other surfaces.

Enhanced CE-QUAL-W2 model to predict the fate and transport of volatile organic compounds in water body: Gheshlagh reservoir as case study

Intentional and/or accidental volatile organic compound (VOC) spill into water bodies may lead to severe contamination and health problems in water infrastructures. The importance and widespread use of petroleum products and the threats posed by these products on surface water resources in Iran necessitates the access to numerical hydrodynamic and water quality simulation models with appropriate capabilities. Simulation the fate and transport of VOC in both flowing and standing water bodies is a fairly complex problem. In this research, CE-QUAL-W2 model is modified to simulate the fate and transport of VOC [i.e., Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), benzene] in standing and flowing water bodies. The performance of the modified CE-QUAL-W2 model is evaluated in a MTBE pollution spill at Khalife-Tarkhan river along the headwaters of Gheshlagh reservoir, Kordestan, Iran. The results show the modified CE-QUAL-W2 model’s capability to depict the spatial and temporal variation of MTBE in comparison with recorded data from MTBE spill event of Gheshlagh reservoir. Based on the simulation results of modified CE-QUAL-W2 model, reservoir cleanup time in different meteorological and hydrological scenarios is evaluated. The results show Gheshlagh reservoir cleanup time reduced in scenarios that included air temperature reduction, wind speed increasing, and high inflow condition.

State of Water Resources in Iran

State of Water Resources in Iran

Free-living amoebae in the water resources of Iran: a systematic review.

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are a group of protozoa with the capabilities of growth in the environment and invasion to the human body which have been isolated from different water sources. Acanthamoeba, Naegleria, and Balamuthia are the most important FLA. These cause a variety of severe complications of eye and central nervous system. Despite the fact that various studies have demonstrated the prevalence of FLA in different parts of Iran, there is no comprehensive evaluation and conclusion regarding the pollution of various water sources in Iran. This review was carried out to achieve the prevalence pattern of FLA in water resources across Iran to design appropriate health strategies. For this purpose, 8 online databases in English and Persian and also graduate thesis and national parasitology congresses were studied. The key words such as "free living amoebae", "Acanthamoeba", "Naegleria", "Hartmannella", "Balamuthia", "Sappinia", "Vermamoebae", "Valkampfia", "water resources", "water" and "Iran" were used to search articles between 1990 to 2017. From a total of 236 articles found, 38 reliable articles were included in the study. From the total number of investigated studies, the estimated prevalence was obtained as 36% among 2430 samples. Although Acanthamoeba prevalence has been considered as a priority, most kinds of free-living amoebae were found in all kinds of water resources. Due to the lack of free-living amoebae prevalence in more than a quarter of the Iranian provinces, more studies are recommended to achieve a better perspective to make comprehensive decisions to improve the hygiene of water resources.

A comparison between ten advanced and soft computing models for groundwater qanat potential assessment in Iran using R and GIS

Considering the unstable condition of water resources in Iran and many other countries in arid and semi-arid regions, groundwater studies are very important. Therefore, the aim of this study is to model groundwater potential by qanat locations as indicators and ten advanced and soft computing models applied to the Beheshtabad Watershed, Iran. Qanat is a man-made underground construction which gathers groundwater from higher altitudes and transmits it to low land areas where it can be used for different purposes. For this purpose, at first, the location of the qanats was detected using extensive field surveys. These qanats were classified into two datasets including training (70%) and validation (30%). Then, 14 influence factors depicting the region’s physical, morphological, lithological, and hydrological features were identified to model groundwater potential. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA), quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), flexible discriminant analysis (FDA), penalized discriminant analysis (PDA), boosted regression tree (BRT), random forest (RF), artificial neural network (ANN), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), and support vector machine (SVM) models were applied in R scripts to produce groundwater potential maps. For evaluation of the performance accuracies of the developed models, ROC curve and kappa index were implemented. According to the results, RF had the best performance, followed by SVM and BRT models. Our results showed that qanat locations could be used as a good indicator for groundwater potential. Furthermore, altitude, slope, plan curvature, and profile curvature were found to be the most important influence factors. On the other hand, lithology, land use, and slope aspect were the least significant factors. The methodology in the current study could be used by land use and terrestrial planners and water resource managers to reduce the costs of groundwater resource discovery.