Alternative Water Supply Research Articles

Modelling scenarios for water supply and sanitation technologies in Jordan

The influx of refugees, population growth and current agricultural practices have led to an increase in water demand in Jordan, placing pressure on existing water provision. Climate change further exacerbates declining water availability. Against this backdrop, the techno-economic feasibility of four water supply and sanitation alternatives for small and medium scale cities in Jordan were explored, using local unit costs and Al-Mafraq as a case study. City level piped network combined with household rooftop rainwater harvesting and surface runoff collection into local ponds and piped networks with treatment using the nature-based solution of root-zone for sanitation were demonstrated to provide the highest benefits in terms of cost, convenience and water conservation. Our work highlights the need to invest in long-term urban infrastructure networks to promote sustainable future growth of cities. This is vital to address severe water scarcity challenges that ultimately impact those at the urban fringes most.

Investigating Alternative Water Supply in Settlements: Cases from Turkana County in Kenya and Orangi in Karachi, Pakistan

In urban areas, water is usually provided through piped systems from specific sources to consumers. Cities, towns, and peri-urban settlements typically benefit from piped systems, while rural areas rely on water supplies from surface sources like rivers and canals, as well as ground sources such as wells and tube wells. When traditional methods fail, alternative water supply systems emerge in both urban and rural areas. This paper addresses the question of whether alternative water supply arrangements are sustainable in terms of system reliability, consumer acceptance, cost-effectiveness, convenience, perceptions of service levels, and ease of access to service providers. This paper examines the status of alternative water supply arrangements in Turkana County, Kenya, and Orangi in Karachi, Pakistan, using qualitative methods. It highlights that underprivileged communities commonly turn to alternative water supply arrangements when conventional methods are unavailable or underperforming.

Urban Water Crisis in Kabul City: Key Challenges and Solutions

Water is an essential human need for survival. However, billions globally wake up daily with accessible and affordable clean water. Rapid population growth, urbanization, climate change, precipitation regime changes, industrial development, and environmental degradation increase pressure on urban water resources. As a result, water demand is continuously rising, leading to prominent shortages in many cities in developing and developed countries, regardless of their developmental condition. One such city facing significant water scarcity is Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, where rapid urbanization has outpaced local water supply infrastructure, resulting in unsustainable exploitation of groundwater resources. This directly threatens the well-being of millions of residents in this city. In anticipation of the exhaustion of local water sources, Kabul will soon need to explore alternative water supply methods, such as inter-basin water transfers, to meet the growing demand. This paper aims to offer a broad overview of urban water crises, evaluating the key drivers of water shortages, exploring the specific water crisis facing Kabul, and analyzing previous research, reports, papers, flow data, groundwater data, maps/charts, field observations, surveys, GIS data, and statistical analysis as the methods for this work. So, to combat declining groundwater levels, a sustainable groundwater management approach is crucial. The approach includes water conservation methods, the implementation of efficient irrigation techniques, and the adoption of water pricing mechanisms.

Adapting to PFAS contamination of private drinking water wells near a PFAS production facility in the US Atlantic Coastal Plain of North Carolina.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread groundwater contaminants and are present in over 7000 drinking water wells near a North Carolina (NC) PFAS plant (Chemours). To understand options available to affected residents, we used new and previously existing water quality data to investigate deeper aquifers as alternate drinking water supplies and compared the regulatory responses near Chemours and three other PFAS production facilities with nearby contaminated wells. Data from >100 wells show that GenX concentrations decrease with increasing depth through the four aquifers in the study area: surficial, Black Creek, Upper Cape Fear, and bedrock. This illustrates the extent of vertical PFAS penetration through the aquifer sequence following roughly 40 years of atmospheric emissions. Detailed data on 143 water quality parameters in nine deep wells (two Upper Cape Fear, seven bedrock) revealed only eight exceedances of drinking water standards (one each for arsenic, perfluorooctanoic acid [PFOA], iron, chloride, and gross alpha, and three for manganese) and nine exceedances of health advisories (all for sodium). Regulatory responses to PFAS contamination of wells in four states included mention of deeper wells as an alternate water source only for nonresidential users in NC and residential users in Vermont. The bedrock aquifer is currently used by some residents and may be a viable alternative to shallower groundwater, though arsenic treatment may be beneficial at some deep wells and long-term sustainability of the aquifer should be evaluated. PRACTITIONER POINTS: GenX concentrations decreased with increasing depth in four aquifers near a PFAS plant. A few exceedances of drinking water standards and health advisories were found in deep bedrock wells. New bedrock wells could be part of the response to PFAS issues in shallower wells. In the long term, deep bedrock wells might be a less expensive option for some residents.

Comparative High-Throughput Sequencing Analysis of the Bacterial Community Associated with the Rhizosphere of Date Palm (Phoenix dactyllifera L.) Irrigated with Treated Wastewater and Groundwater

Water scarcity is a major agricultural issue in most arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Alternative water supplies, such as the reuse of wastewater for agricultural irrigation, have been introduced. However, little is known about their impact on the soil and rhizosphere microbiomes that receive irrigation. Therefore, this work evaluates the impact of treated wastewater (TWW) irrigation on the soil and rhizosphere bacterial communities of date palms in Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia. In this study, metagenomic DNA from the rhizosphere of the date palm was sequenced using Illumina high-throughput sequencing. According to the observed OTUs, Chao1 richness estimations, and Shannon diversity values, soils from groundwater-irrigated date palms showed higher microbial diversity than did soils from TWW-irrigated date palms. A total of 569 OTUs were generated; most of them (97.3%) were assigned into 15 different phyla, whereas 2.7% were marked as unclassified. DNA sequence analysis of the WWT-irrigated rhizosphere showed that the most abundant phyla were Firmicutes (43.6%), Bacteroidetes (17.3%), Proteobacteria (15.2%), and Actinobacteria (14.6%), representing more than 90.7% of the total community, while the soil of the rhizosphere irrigated with GW was dominated by Actinobacteria (44.1%), Proteobacteria (23.4%), Firmicutes (15.5%), and Gemmatimonadetes (4.9%). The most frequently observed species in the two soils were also different. The dominant species in TWW-irrigated soil was Planococcus plakortidis, which is prevalent in saline and moderately saline habitats and can play an important ecological role. The GW-irrigated rhizosphere exhibited higher levels of biocontrol bacteria, particularly Nocardioides mesophilus. These results provide a comprehensive understanding and insights into the population dynamics and microbiome of date palm rhizosphere. The findings show that the irrigation water quality has a significant impact on the microbiome composition. Identifying the microbial diversity is the first step toward determining the best way to use TWW in irrigation.

The green hydrogen-water-food nexus: Analysis for Spain

This research presents a novel approach that analyzes the water requirements for hydrogen production associated with a nationally adopted Green Hydrogen strategy. Green Hydrogen production is one of the most relevant technologies for massive renewable energy integration in transport systems, industries, or heating systems. European Union has launched a strategic roadmap for green hydrogen generation and integration in the energy chain. Spain aims to be one of the most important producers and exporters and has approved a Hydrogen Roadmap for next years, but no previous research has focused on the water requirements. This research finds that Spain's Green Hydrogen Roadmap, and a similar European one, is based on electrolyzers' peak capacity, and this causes a large uncertainty in real hydrogen production and associated water requirements. Spain represents a case study that can be a reference worldwide as it suffers from increasing droughts, has considerable tourist pressure, and is one of the most important producers of greens and fruits. This study proposes a methodology to quantify actual hydrogen production and associated water requirements and proves that current large-scale planning based on peak generation will produce a large uncertainty and could directly impact water supply security. One of the most relevant findings is that hydrogen production and water requirements must be included in these strategies to avoid future water supply tensions. An analysis of alternative water supply using desalinated water analyzes its feasibility and the effects on final cost. The outcomes are an example to be applied in similar scenarios worldwide and prove the need for an integrated energy-water-food strategy to deploy green hydrogen systems.

Feasibility of Using Reclaimed Water from the Alegria Wastewater Treatment Plant in Concrete Mixing Plants in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Due to the rising costs of transportation and the more advanced treatment needed to meet the water demands of the urban population, the costs of potable water tend to increase as cities expand. For some water uses, potable water is not required, such as concrete mixing industries. Previous studies have proven the viability of using reused water in concrete production. In Caju, Rio de Janeiro, four large concrete mixing plants (CMPs) are located close to the Alegria Wastewater Treatment Plant. This study focused on assessing the technical and financial feasibility of reusing these effluents as an alternative source of water for the four CMPs. The alternatives were potable and reused water via two supply methods, water tank trucks and pipelines. All costs were analyzed and projected into the future with the market cost of capital. After comparing the costs, the use of reclaimed water proved to be highly feasible, especially when a using pipeline to supply the CMPs. The present costs for the reclaimed water supply were calculated to be USD 0.99 per m3 for the pipeline alternative and the other alternatives varied in being 5 to 7 times more costly. This water reuse project using pipelines to transport reclaimed water to concrete mixing plants provides a feasible, sustainable alternative water supply in water stressed regions such as Rio de Janeiro.

A multicriteria decision analysis for selecting rainwater harvesting systems in rural areas: a tool for developing countries

Global water provision challenges have promoted decentralized water supply alternatives such as rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS). RWHS sustainability demands involve social, technical, and economic criteria in planning. Generally, in rural areas, water provision is more complex due to multiple uses of water, scattering of households, and low economies of scale. This research proposes a multicriteria tool for selecting RWHS in rural areas, considering social, technical, and economic criteria. The tool was developed by systematically identifying subcriteria and their hierarchization through the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), and a case study validation. Seven subcriteria were identified. The hierarchy of criteria was social (49.7%), technical (26.4%), and economic (23.9%). The tool involved: (i) users’ consultation about the perceived ease of use and availability of water sources other than rainwater; (ii) system dimensioning to establish supply size, maintenance requirements, and required water quality; and (iii) costs and benefits estimation. Tool validation in a rural area included the evaluation of the alternatives proposed: (a) alternative 1: potable domestic uses (PD) and non-potable (NPD); (b) alternative 2: PD and NPD, irrigation of crops and chicken farming for self-consumption; and alternative 3: PD and NPD and chicken farming for profit sale. The sensitivity analysis showed the tool’s consistency and robustness. Tool validation highlights the importance of integrating the three dimensions in selecting RWHS. The study provides a systematic methodology to assess and prioritize RWHS, appealing to policymakers, engineers, and practitioners facilitating water management and supply processes in rural areas.

Developing a Drought Resilience Matrix to Evaluate Water Supply Alternatives

Cities around the world are facing increased sensitivity to drought effects. Climate-change-induced drought affects not only the natural hydrology of the broad macroclimate but also those in the urban microclimates. The increasing frequency and duration of droughts are creating challenges for urban water utilities to convey water through distribution systems to customers reliably and consistently. This has led many urban areas like San Francisco, California, to search for unique alternative water supply projects to help bolster the drought resilience of the coupled human and natural water system. This paper focuses on applying the features of resilience (i.e., plan, adapt, absorb, and recover) through a drought resilience matrix to water supply alternatives to analyze how the addition of these projects would increase the overall water system’s drought resilience. San Francisco, California, was used as the case study to test the use of this matrix. Three portfolios (modifying existing supply, recycling, and desalination, as well as local approaches) were created and tested in the matrix. Each portfolio is composed of various alternative water supply projects that the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) is considering for implementation. Results concluded that the local approaches portfolio provided the most drought resilience, with the recycling and desalination portfolio providing the least resilience. The study approach and the presented findings will provide guidance to water utility professionals in supply planning to enhance drought resilience.

Rainwater Harvesting System Analysis for Semi-Arid Climate: A Daily Linear Programming Model

Rainwater harvesting has proven to be an alternative water supply scheme for sustainable water management of regions with limited water resources. In this paper, a linear programming (LP) model with daily time steps, which minimizes a rooftop rainwater harvesting system (RWHS) cost, is developed and used to calculate the optimum RWH tank size. The developed LP model is applied to the semi-arid Northern Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean. The analysis is carried out for 33 sites which receive average annual rainfall ranging from 292 mm to 548 mm to evaluate the spatial effect of rainfall characteristic and the water cost on the financial feasibility and performance of the RWHS. At 29 out of 33 sites, RWHS investments are found to be financially feasible with discounted payback periods ranging from 12 to 28 years. The optimum RWH tank sizes are determined to be between 2 m3 and 6 m3 resulting in up to 20 % reliability with more than 50 m3 of average annual water savings per house. It is observed that the cost of water is a critical factor that affects the financial feasibility and water savings of a RWHS, especially in regions with limited rainfall. The comparison of the developed daily LP model with an LP model with monthly time steps demonstrates that the financial feasibility and the optimum tank size can only be assessed realistically when daily time steps are used. Finally, the sensitivity analysis shows that the discounted payback period is highly sensitive to the collector area.

Virus surrogates throughout a full-scale advanced water reuse system

Water reuse as an alternative water supply is increasing throughout the world due to water stress and scarcity; however, there are no standard practices for monitoring virus pathogens in such systems. This study aimed to identify suitable surrogates for virus fate, transport, and removal throughout a water reuse scheme. Various microbial targets (11 viruses, two phage, and three bacteria) were monitored using molecular and culture methods across all treatment stages in a wastewater reclamation facility and advanced water treatment facility. Criteria were established for identifying suitable surrogates, which included reliable detection, observable fate and transport, calculable log-reduction values (LRVs), correlations with other targets, and various morphological types. In total, five viruses (PMMoV, AiV, GII NoV, AdV, FRNA GII) met these stringent criteria and were suggested as potential virus surrogates. These surrogates enabled successful comparison of assigned versus actual LRVs throughout a water reuse scheme. Results suggest that virus pathogens are effectively removed throughout water reuse treatment and the suggested surrogates can be utilized for monitoring treatment performance and ensuring public health safety. This study provides a framework that water utilities across the world can reference for establishing virus monitoring practices.

Water security consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war and the post-war outlook

Russian forces have destroyed one-third of Ukraine’s freshwater storage since February 2022 to 2024. Potable, industrial and irrigation water supplies have been cut across the south and east of the country. Overall, social, economic and ecological damages are estimated in the tens of billions of $US, while the loss of Ukraine’s economic potential and necessary investments in restoration reach $600 billion. We consider the current eco-economic efficiency of irrigated crops, as well as damage to commercial and recreational fisheries including losses of littoral areas and spawning grounds. Alternative water supplies for the war-torn regions by construction of wells to tap groundwater are presented and justified; various scientific opinions and approaches to ecosystem management and options for the future reconstruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir are discussed; and, finally, strategic development options for the water sector are considered to ensure water security in the post-war development period.

Time series subsidence evaluation using NSBAS InSAR: a case study of twin megacities (Rawalpindi and Islamabad) in Pakistan

Ground deformation associated with natural and anthropogenic activities can be damaging for infrastructure and can cause enormous economic loss, particularly in developing countries which lack measuring instruments. Remote sensing techniques like interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) can thus play an important role in investigating deformation and mitigating geohazards. Rawalpindi and Islamabad are twin cities in Pakistan with a population of approximately 5.4 million, along with important government and private entities of national and international interest. In this study, we evaluate rapid paced subsidence in this area using a modified small baseline subset technique with Sentinel-1A imagery acquired between 2015 and 2022. Our results show that approximately 50 mm/year subsidence occurs in the older city of Rawalpindi, the most populated zone. We observed that subsidence in the area is controlled by the buried splays of the Main Boundary Thrust, one of the most destructive active faults in the recent past. We suggest that such rapid subsidence is most probably due to aggressive subsurface water extraction. It has been found that, despite provision of alternate water supplies by the district government, a very alarming number of tube wells are being operated in the area to extract ground water. Over 2017–2021, field data showed that near-surface aquifers up to 50–60 m deep are exhausted, and most of the tube wells are currently extracting water from depths of approximately 150–160 m. The dropping water level is proportional to the increasing number of tube wells. Lying downstream of tributaries originating from the Margalla and Murree hills, this area has a good monsoon season, and its topography supports recharge of the aquifers. However, rapid subsidence indicates a deficit between water extraction and recharge, partly due to the limitations inherent in shale and the low porosity near the surface lithology exposed in the area. Other factors amplifying the impacts are fast urbanization, uncontrolled population growth, and non-cultivation of precipitation in the area.

Ecocriminological analysis of brine in aquatic ecosystems: impacts on Posidonia oceanica and the search for restorative justice solutions.

The consumption of fresh water has generated additional problems in certain territories, along with the consequences of global warming. This has meant that in the most vulnerable areas, such as the Balearic archipelago in the Mediterranean, alternative water supply systems have been established: desalination plants. However, the ecological impact of these infrastructures is great, mainly affecting aquatic ecosystems. In light of the above, this paper addresses the ecological harm caused by desalination and brine discharges on a protected and priority species, P. Oceanica. Taking as ethico-legal foundation the theory of ecological justice, a multilevel analysis was carried out from an ecocriminology perspective on the impacts of this authorized practice on P. Oceanica and other species. Finally, a restorative justice view will allow us to understand and envision possible solutions to this ecological harm.

The Capability of Rainwater Harvesting as an Alternative Water Supply

This Rainwater Harvesting System (RWH) is considered the Best Management Practice (BMP) which is being implemented in Malaysia. This system is not only intended to slow down the flow of runoff the surface is even used as a free and safe alternative source of water supply. However, it is mentioned that the system is not viable and impractical considering the construction and maintenance costs that had to be borne by the users of the system. However, several studies inside and outside the country show the Return on Capital (ROC) factor for this system only in a short period, i.e., between two and three years. This article aims to identify the capability of the experimental study site of Rabbitland Jengka Pahang, Malaysia in providing the most suitable or potential location to apply the RWH system. Moreover, it predicts the capability of the RWH system as well as the ROC ability of the system. Results indicate that the level of the system’s reliability is high and the ROC for the investment of the system takes only 36 months to recover the cost of the investment. The National Water Quality Standards (NWQS) for Malaysia proved that RWH and groundwater used are in class 3 which is suitable for livestock drinking, and external domestic uses, and needs extensive treatment for drinking purposes.

Temporal Patterns of Utilization of Constructed Water Pans by Different Mammal Species: A Study of Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya

Climate change induced risks like prolonged dry spells are exacerbating water scarcity especially, in the wildlife conservancies calling for alternative water supply systems for wildlife. In Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, water pans were constructed to provide water to animals during wet and dry seasons. The study aim was to establish patterns of water pans utilization by different mammal species in different seasons and times of the day. Study was conducted on the mammals visiting water pans in the dry season (June 2022) and wet season (October 2022) at two water pans in Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. Mammal utilization of water pans was studied using observations and camera traps. Pearson correlation and t-test were used to analyze data. Impala had the highest water pan visitations (36.7%) followed by zebra (22.2%) while eland and reedbuck had the lowest (0.7%) visitations. Morning (0900hrs-1000hrs) was a period of peak visitations, followed by midday while dusk recorded the least visitations. Mammals utilized water pans for drinking, wallowing, grazing, socialization, and soil licking. There were significant differences in the number of visitations between the dry and wet seasons (df =7, t = 2.739, p=0.029) where dry season had high visitations (64.6%) while wet season had 35.4%. There was also a strong negative correlation between mammal visitations to the water pans and the time of the day. The study shows that constructed water pans provide important source of water in protected areas where natural water sources are absent, inaccessible due to fencing, or during the dry season when water is limited. Therefore, water provisioning during the dry season in areas lacking water to increase dispersal ranges in the conservancy reducing mammal concentration around water pans.

Prospects of alternative water supply for the population of Ukraine during wartime and post-war reconstruction

ABSTRACT Russia is using water supply as a weapon. Ukraine’s water infrastructure is being systematically destroyed. To date, Ukraine has lost almost a third of its accumulated fresh water reserves (approximately 19 km3) worth over $US18 billion, and damage to canals, pipelines, pumping stations and water supply systems has left more than 5 million people without drinking water. The loss of hydrostatic pressure in the Kakhovka Reservoir changes storage and flow in aquifers and surface waters, as well as water intake structures. We review the main elements of the structure of water supply, water distribution, and wastewater discharge within Ukraine’s river basins, and substantiate the prospects and technological solutions for the construction of wells to provide water from underground sources.

Переход к экономике замкнутого цикла в рамках комплексного управления водными ресурсами. Обзор методов оценки

The transition from a linear water use model to a circular economy (CE) is an urgent task in the context of growing freshwater shortages, pollution of natural water bodies and climate change. It is important to integrate «grey» (engineered) infrastructure with «green» (in particular, with nature-based solutions) infrastructure, which will connect water systems managed by humans and nature. Addressing these issues requires developing approaches to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of CE in the water sector from a systems perspective, to develop a circular policy. The object of study are linear and circular models of water resources (WR) management. The subject of the study is the prospects for the transition to integrated WR management, considering alternative types of water supply, supported by assessments. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the relevance of the transition to integrated WR management, including solutions aimed at the transition to closed circular cycle water systems; consideration of circular strategies inherent in WR; review of approaches for assessing circular solutions in the water sector. The authors proceed from the following: the generally accepted definition of a CE in the water sector is one of the decisive factors for the successful transition to circular systems; the concept of a CE appears to be one of the key approaches to achieving sustainable development of the water sector; nature-based solutions are seen as an important tool for environmental conservation, providing additional benefits (improving urban microclimate, water quality, preserving biodiversity, reducing the impact of anthropogenic factors on water bodies); integration impact assessment approaches for CE in the water sector contributes to comprehensive assessment of circular solutions. Conclusions: integrated water resources management must consider alternative water supplies; systemic changes caused by the transition to a CE in the water sector should be given priority attention, giving preference to solutions integrating traditional and «green» infrastructure; the transition to CE requires the development of approaches (with the ability to adapt and scale them to specific conditions) for the economic assessment of the systemic impact of circular water systems. The study is aimed at researchers and decision makers in the field of WR management. The conclusions drawn can be used in developing strategies for the development of water management and making decisions at various levels. A systematic literature review methodology was used, based on tracking keywords in articles posted in scientific electronic libraries; scientometric analysis; analytical and logical methods for process analysis in the context of CE and water management.

Groundwater Purification Using Bio-Sand Filter Modified with Iron Oxide-Coated Sand and Activated Carbon

Groundwater is the most used natural resource which serves different diverse purposes and alternative water supply for households mainly in rural areas. However, it is polluted by contaminants such as heavy metals, total hardness and coliform bacteria. One such promising water treatment technology for households in rural areas is the Bio-sand Filter (BSF) because of its low cost and efficient removal of contaminants. Although BSF is efficient to remove contaminants, there is still needed to improve the flow rate and the performance of removing pollutants from groundwater. Therefore, this study focused on the development of a laboratory-scale Modified Bio-sand Filter (MBSF) that was combined with Iron-oxide Coated Sand (IOCS) with Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) made from coconut shells to purify groundwater. Laboratory scale of filters were performed in this study. Groundwater was collected from household’s well water in Kean Svay district, Kandal province. The filters were operated by filling the water source with 10 liters per day and operated for 20 days. Heavy metals were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and Arsenator. Total hardness was analyzed by Ion Chromatography (IC). Target coliform bacteria such as E. coli and total coliform were cultured by spread plate method. Flow rate was observed by setting time for 1 minute and measure the volume of effluent water. By the results, all physicochemical parameters of MBSF were within the standard limit of drinking water. MBSF showed significantly better removal efficiency for arsenic with 100% than BSF while MBSF can also remove Mn and Fe which was under the drinking water standard of WHO and MIME. Total hardness was achieved more than 80% in MBSF, while BSF with only 40%. MBSF also performed slightly better than BSF as well in removing both E. coli and total coliform with more than 90% reduction. The flow rate of the MBSF was faster about two and a half times than the flow rate of BSF with the average of 0.15 L/min for MBFS and 0.06 L/min for BSF. The results from this study contributed to the improvement of household water treatment method for purifying groundwater efficiently in rural areas.

Evaluation of the Suspensioning Decision of Hydropower Dam in the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) World Natural Heritage Registered Forest (The Case of Shafarood Dam, Iran)

Objective: The Hyrcanian forests (Caspian forests) are located in western Asia and were inscribed on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List in 2019. The construction of the hydropower Shafarood dam began in these forests in 1990.Because of budget deficits and the suspensions incurred by opposing activists in 2013, dam construction has only advanced by 23% ever since. The main purpose of this paper was to evaluation of the suspensioning decision of hydropower dam in the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world natural heritage registered forest.
 
 Theoretical framework: The case of this study was the Shafarood dam in Iran. There were several meetings held between opposing and agreeing stakeholders and the relevant organizations and therefore, it was decided to unsuspend the project provided that specific changes are made to the plan and adequate financial resources are allocated. The dam’s reservoir has caused the destruction of 175 hectares of Hyrcanian forests and its biodiversity. Forests play a key role in reducing greenhouse gases on a global scale.
 
 Result: Based upon the collected data and opinions from the proponents and opponents of the dam construction, and according to the options of implementing or terminating; the environment was divided into three categories and accordingly, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) was performed. Finally, an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) was proposed for this dam and those under construction or suspended in forested areas.
 
 Conclusion: To minimize the negative environmental effects of Hydropower Shafarood dam, an environmental impact reduction plan was proposed, whichmainly focused on mitigating measures. Reduction measures in this plan include reducing the height of the dam, proper localization of supply materials required for the dam construction, replacing modern agriculture with traditional agriculture, looking for an alternative water supply for drinking and industrial sector via conventional and unconventional methods, forest rehabilitation.