Assessment of water security in the large watersheds of Iran. Issue 127 (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zakeri, Mohamad Ali; Mirnia, Seyyed Khallagh; Moradi, Hamidreza
• Is Part Of: Environmental science & policy. Issue 127(2022)
• Page Start: 31
• Page End: 37
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: National Security Components -- Watershed Management -- Water Policy and Diplomacy -- Water Resources Management; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Politique gouvernementale -- Périodiques; Sciences de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Environmental policy; Environmental sciences; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.70561
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2021.10.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-9011

Abstract

Abstract: The present study was conducted to evaluate the water security in Iran and its large watersheds over a period of 20 years at 5-year intervals (1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016). Eight important indicators influencing the water security including the renewable water resources per capita, water use intensity, water productivity, investing in water infrastructures, water quality, access to drinking water and pollution management, changes in the green coverage area, and changes in the large water bodies area of the country were used and weighed by the analytical network process (ANP) method in order to quantify the concept of water security. The average calculated values for water security were equal to 0.455, 0.442, 0.410, 0.345, 0.326, and 0.323 in the Urmia Lake, Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, Qaraqom, Central Plateau, and Eastern Border large watersheds, respectively over 20 years. The calculated values for water security during the studied years showed that although the slope of water security has changed in different time periods, but the water security declined between 1996 and 2016 across the six watersheds although there were some small discrepancies in this trend. These inconsistencies are far less significant than the overall reductions in water security across time and space. Considering that water security is one of the important components of national security and existence of water crises, sustainable management of water resources by political, social and economic requirements and creating a proper balance between water use and water resources seems necessary to prevent a possible future. Highlights: Calculate and evaluate water security using eight indicators in six large watersheds of Iran over a twenty-year period. Weighing and prioritizing indicators affecting water security by ANP method. Creating a proper balance between water use and water resources by sustainable management of water resources. The importance of water security and its political, economic and social requirements for sustainable development and national security in Iran and the Middle East region.