Feasibility Study of establishing the Water User Associations Based on IAD Pattern: A Case Study of Mehraban Sofla Sub-District in Kabudrahang County of Iran

This study aimed at evaluating the feasibility of establishing a water user association using the Ostrom method in Mehraban Sofla sub-district in Kabudrahang County in Hamedan province of Iran and it was conducted in a descriptive-analytical method. In addition to library studies and regular observations, a questionnaire was used as the main tool for collecting field data. The face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the relevant professors and experts; and to evaluate its reliability, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used, which was 0.90. The statistical population consisting of 107 farmers in this sub-district was selected by simple random sampling. Statistical tests were performed using SPSS23 and LISREL 8.8 software. The results showed that all the rules were necessary for the formation of an association of water users; however, among them, cost-benefit and information were the most necessary rules required in the mentioned sub-district where at present, the institutional basis for establishing a water association was not ready. Therefore, it was suggested that by identifying the existing capacities in Mehraban Sofla sub-district, non-agricultural businesses be developed in order to provide various sources of income in parallel with agriculture, as well as trainings to prevent the digging of illegal wells in the studied sub-district should be provided in order to protect groundwater and also to encourage farmers to cultivate cultivars with less water needs and to use modern irrigation methods in order to increase the productivity of water resources. In addition, the results showed that the attitude towards the water user association had a significant relationship with the desire to join it; therefore, it was suggested that by holding educational and extensional classes and using educational videos and local media such as provincial radio and other information resources to raise the level of awareness and knowledge of farmers about the benefits of participation, the grounds for their cooperation and assistance in water resources management be provided.