Establishment and Selection of Strategy for Improve Resilience of Yazd Ardakan Plain Water Resources

Progressing population growth, development of economic activities and human needs for natural resources, including water resources, have created an imbalance between supply and demand, ultimately causing instability and inadequacy of these resources in most parts of the world, especially arid and semiarid regions such as our country. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate and formulate strategies for improving water resource resiliency of Yazd Ardakan Plain. In this study, in order to achieve the resiliency of Yazd Ardakan Plain water resources, theoretical foundations of the research were initially studied using documentary (library) reviews. After that, model components of the research were refined and evaluated using the Delphi technique and obtaining expert consensus through survey processes and using a questionnaire. In the next step, the SOAR model was adopted in order to analyze the information and formulate a strategy for water resource resiliency of Yazd Ardakan Plain, and describe its strengths, opportunities, ideals and results. Also, Shannonchr(chr('39')39chr('39'))s Entropy Algorithm was used to weigh these strategies. Based on the findings of the SOAR model and considering the results of the establishment of water-related economic activities instead of agricultural activities in Yazd Ardakan plain, it shows that this area is in transition from a social-economic structure based solely on agricultural activity to a new water-resource dependent structure which does not fit the concept of transient resiliency. Results of this study show that in order to increase resiliency of the regionchr(chr('39')39chr('39'))s water resources, the need for substitution of non-water-dependent economic activities with less pollution such as Green businesses, eco-tourism, renewable energy and low-water industries in land development and planning programs should receive more attention.