Development of a conceptual framework for socio-hydrological modeling using qualitative system dynamics approach, Case study: Mashhad basin

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Researcher/ East Water and Environmental Research Institute (EWERI)

2 Professor/ Department of Water Engineering/Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

3 Hydroinformatic Department, East Water and Environmental Research Institute (EWERI), Mashad, Iran

Abstract

Sustainable water resources management is the hardest challenge facing human communities, and improvement of understanding complex interactions in coupled human-water systems is very important in achieving it. In recent decade, socio-hydrological modelling is of the most widely used methods for description of interactions and co-evolution of human-hydrological systems. In this study which is the first attempt to develop a conceptual framework for socio-hydrological modelling in Iran with the aim of understanding coupled human-water systems, after development of the conceptual framework, its application in Mashhad basin based on the qualitative system dynamics approach has been shown. In the proposed framework, the impact of managerial decisions on the natural system has been defined as the behavioural response variable, influenced by community sensitivity. Results showed that, now, fixes that fail, limits to growth, and success to the successful are dominant archetypes in Mashhad basin. In fact, behavioural response influenced by water demand has resulted in managerial decisions aiming at profit-oriented economic growth with no consideration for the natural system limitation. Accordingly, overexploitation of water resources regardless of the renewal rate of water resources has occurred, and community sensitivity with the aim of maintaining the water system sustainability has played no role in managerial decision-making. As long as the role of other water-sensitive social levels in behavioural response is ignored, the community sensitivity loop as a balancer balancing the human-nature relationship remains missing and defective forever.

Keywords

References

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Iranian Journal of Irrigation & Drainage
Volume 16, Issue 3 - Serial Number 93
July and August 2022
Pages 512-536

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