Balance assessment of irrigated agriculture development in Alborz province

Sustainable management of land is possible through planning its use within the framework of suitable spatial balance for human activities with environmental capabilities. Therefore, adequate identification and understanding of the balance and imbalances of the spatial structure, and also understanding of the concept of consistency and its required resources, are the basis for optimal planning toward reducing Incompatibilities and spatial conflicts. In the current study, the spatial balance of land uses is measured after evaluating land capability, and three options including balanced development, unbalanced development, and possible development are presented for decision-making. The evaluation of the ecological potential of the land is based on the capability assessment of ecological components, and the present study is focused on this assessment for the development of irrigated farming. Capability assessment is based on 9-factor criteria (slope, height above sea level, average annual temperature, soil suitability class for agriculture, land unit, soil depth, soil fertility, soil drainage, and programmable agricultural water) and 8 constraint criteria (cover type and production Pasture, forest habitat, soil salinity, soil erosion, flooding, culturally sensitive areas, ecologically sensitive areas, and incompatible land use). According to the results obtained, about 32 thousand hectares of the province's area can be developed for irrigated farming, of which 78% is currently allocated to irrigated agriculture and has a balanced development. Results indicate that currently about 6100 hectares of the province lands (1.2% of the province) still have a natural capacity for the development of irrigated farming, but the land use has not been allocated to it, and about 14% of the province's lands are covered by the development of unbalanced irrigated agriculture, and does not have the sufficient ecological capacity for agricultural development.