Evaluation of the effect of cropping pattern on groundwater resources of Mehranplain using the system dynamics approach under scenarios of energy price changes

cropping pattern changes and increasing energy tariffs helps groundwater resources management. The aim of this investigation was to study the effect of crop pattern on groundwater level in Mehranplain using the system dynamics approach under different scenarios of energy price changes. To develop the model, a conceptual framwok was designed and the dynamic hypotheses were formulated. The calibration and validation of the model were performed for a period of 8 and 6 years, respectively, and the model simulated in a 25-year period until 1420 in nine scenarios. The results showed that changing the crop pattern from alfalfa to conola with increasing 100 percent in energy tariff would have the most positive impact on aquifer is equivalent to an increase of about 55 million cubic meters of aquifer water volume, and an increase of about 8 meters in the groundwater level. Also changing the crop pattern from alfalfa to corn with increasing 50 percent in energy tariff lead to groundwater level stability.