Identifying the Determinants of Public Participation in Flood Risk Management: A Case Study of Flood-prone Rural Areas In Golestan Province, Iran

For efficient flood risk management, the participation of local people is needed. The present study aims to identify the factors affecting the participation of people in flood risk management in the flood-prone rural areas of Golestan Province, Iran. 

This is a descriptive survey study. The study population includes all heads of households living in villages flooded in 2019 in Golestan Province. Of these, 395 were randomly selected from 22 villages, proportional to the population of each village. A research-made questionnaire was used to collect data, whose validity was confirmed based on the opinions of three experts and had acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s α=0.79). The collected data were analyzed using multivariate regression analysis in SPSS software, version, 26. 

Participants had more participation in measures such as safety control of energy networks, collection of weather information, and protection of valuable furniture. The results of the regression analysis showed that the variables of literacy, annual income, distance of the house from the nearest river, perception of the accuracy of flood warnings, familiarity with the principles and methods of dealing with floods, belief in the possibility of flood control and management, and receiving flood warnings had a significant role in predicting the public participation in flood risk management.

Knowledge of flood risk management is very important for the participation of local people in flood risk management. Therefore, increasing knowledge and awareness of flood preparedness, sharing knowledge of flood management among local residents, and increasing awareness about how to obtain and use meteorological data should be included in educational courses provided by regional and local organizations.