Identifying Managerial Conflicts Among The Actors of Water Resources Through Analyzing Their Cognitive Maps (Case Study: Stakeholders of Mashhad Plain)

Mashhad Plain have faced sever qualitative and quantitative depletion in groundwater resources due to over exploitations in recent years. The plausible solutions to this crisis would be either to transfer water from other basins or to obtain appropriate managerial measures to decrease water demands. The first option definitely need considerable investments in the origin and destination basins and face uncertainties and challenges over time. Accordingly, researchers suggest the management of water demands through the optimal use of available water resources, instead of external water supply projects. Demand management strategies could however and on the other hand affect the interests of costumers and create conflicts among stakeholders. In this paper, the possible reduction of demands through reducing the conflicts among actors of water resources in Mashhad Plain (i.e. managers and costumers) were studied. In this regard, the actors of water resources in Mashhad Plain were firstly identified and then, through brainstorming sessions devised the road map and/or conceptual model for managing water resources. In the next step, the actors’ cognitive maps about water resources were studied and the conflicting elements were identified. Finally, the cause-effect relationships were analyzed. The results showed that actors had serious conflicts over 6 items. There were small conflicts over 30 percent of the elements and compromises could readily be achieved over the rest. The results also showed that some actors might have more significant roles in conflict resolution.