Identification of Appropriate Solutions for Managing Surface Water Consumption of West Azerbaijan Province Using Dynamic System Modeling

The share of agricultural sector in West Azerbaijan province, Iran from surface water abstraction is 91.2%. Excessive consumption of water resources, drought and destruction of agricultural lands, dependence of work and livelihood of 1.2 million population of province on the agricultural sector, the adoption of long-term development plans, have intensified the water crisis in agricultural sector. Therefore, managing the consumption of surface water is essential. This study investigates the effect of agricultural, economic, policy-making, climatic, socio-cultural and educational scenarios on management of surface water consumption and availability.

The present study is an applied research has been carried out using the dynamic system approach in order to achieve sustainable management of water resources in West Azerbaijan province. First, the statistical data from the previous years (1991-2018) are entered into the system using Excel and SPSS software. Then, the dynamic system model is developed in VENSIM software. To ensure the efficiency of the model in evaluating policies, the model validation test is performed. After making sure that the model works efficiency, population growth scenarios with different fertility rates, PS1 (2.11 children), PS2 (1.95 children), PS3 (1.5 children) and PS4 (2.6 Children) and climatic scenarios with a probability of 20% annual rainfall reduction, continuation of the current rainfall trend and 20% annual rainfall improvement are introduced to the model. Additionally, investment scenarios with the aim of 0.5% improvement in the annual irrigation efficiency and the crop scenario such as low-consumption cultivation pattern are introduced to the model. Moreover, the impacts of participatory and education scenarios, are simulated up to the horizon of 2051.

The results showed that in the validation test there is a high correlation between the simulated values ​​and the observed values ​​of surface water, and the model is effective in evaluating policies. Upon continuation of the rainfall current trend, available surface water decreases by 3.76% during the simulation period (2018-2051). Droughts intensify with a decrease of 20% of annual rainfall due to the direct effect of rainfall on runoff, available surface water is reduced by 20.54%. The largest decrease in the surface water content is related to the scenario of reduced rainfall (-20%) together with the scenario of increasing fertility rate (ps4), which cause a decrease in the available surface water by 46.15%. Population growth has increased the total water consumption and even agricultural water demand by 27% over the 2051 horizon. Simultaneously using low-consumption cultivation pattern scenarios, investment to improve irrigation efficiency, participatory activities and training programs to improve water management, water consumption decrease by 29.20% and agricultural water demand from the surface water decrease by 31.37% under these conditions, the available surface water improves by 9.12% to the horizon of 2051.

The results showed that, it is necessary to review population scenarios at the national level. Also, the agricultural scenario of observing the pattern of low-consumption cultivation with reducing water demand per hectare is known as the best scenario and its application has increased the available surface water by 2.45 times.Keywords: Water resource management, Economic/policy-making scenarios, Climatic scenarios, West Azerbaijan province

The share of agricultural sector in West Azerbaijan province, Iran from surface water abstraction is 91.2%. Excessive consumption of water resources, drought and destruction of agricultural lands, dependence of work and livelihood of 1.2 million population of province on the agricultural sector, the adoption of long-term development plans, have intensified the water crisis in agricultural sector. Therefore, managing the consumption of surface water is essential. This study investigates the effect of agricultural, economic, policy-making, climatic, socio-cultural and educational scenarios on management of surface water consumption and availability.

The present study is an applied research has been carried out using the dynamic system approach in order to achieve sustainable management of water resources in West Azerbaijan province. First, the statistical data from the previous years (1991-2018) are entered into the system using Excel and SPSS software. Then, the dynamic system model is developed in VENSIM software. To ensure the efficiency of the model in evaluating policies, the model validation test is performed. After making sure that the model works efficiency, population growth scenarios with different fertility rates, PS1 (2.11 children), PS2 (1.95 children), PS3 (1.5 children) and PS4 (2.6 Children) and climatic scenarios with a probability of 20% annual rainfall reduction, continuation of the current rainfall trend and 20% annual rainfall improvement are introduced to the model. Additionally, investment scenarios with the aim of 0.5% improvement in the annual irrigation efficiency and the crop scenario such as low-consumption cultivation pattern are introduced to the model. Moreover, the impacts of participatory and education scenarios, are simulated up to the horizon of 2051.

The results showed that in the validation test there is a high correlation between the simulated values ​​and the observed values ​​of surface water, and the model is effective in evaluating policies. Upon continuation of the rainfall current trend, available surface water decreases by 3.76% during the simulation period (2018-2051). Droughts intensify with a decrease of 20% of annual rainfall due to the direct effect of rainfall on runoff, available surface water is reduced by 20.54%. The largest decrease in the surface water content is related to the scenario of reduced rainfall (-20%) together with the scenario of increasing fertility rate (ps4), which cause a decrease in the available surface water by 46.15%. Population growth has increased the total water consumption and even agricultural water demand by 27% over the 2051 horizon. Simultaneously using low-consumption cultivation pattern scenarios, investment to improve irrigation efficiency, participatory activities and training programs to improve water management, water consumption decrease by 29.20% and agricultural water demand from the surface water decrease by 31.37% under these conditions, the available surface water improves by 9.12% to the horizon of 2051.

The results showed that, it is necessary to review population scenarios at the national level. Also, the agricultural scenario of observing the pattern of low-consumption cultivation with reducing water demand per hectare is known as the best scenario and its application has increased the available surface water by 2.45 times.