Integrated Watershed Management

Integrated Watershed Management

Position of the Fakhran Watershed in Iran’s South Khorasan Province in the Watershed Management Ladder

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Seyed Hamidreza Sadeghi
Fatemeh Hasanpour
Arasteh Payfeshoordeh
Fatemeh Tavakoli
Fatemeh Esmail Zadeh
Fatemeh Abdulbaghi
Negin Rashidi
Sahar Mousavian
Hamed Beigi
Marjan Bahlekeh
Reza Chamani
Department of Watershed Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran
10.22034/iwm.2024.2019702.1122
Abstract
Extended Abstract
 
Introduction: In the past decades, the development of human needs, climate changes, urbanization, and the rapid development of industry, agriculture, drought, floods, and soil erosion have caused watershed degradation. On the other hand, resources are used to exploit natural resources. An imbalance in the functioning of watersheds causes various hydrological, ecological, economic, and social functions to face various problems and reduce the watershed health and associated functions. A healthy watershed plays an essential role in ensuring the stability of socio-economic systems and improving human well-being. Due to their complexity, they should be restored and controlled through ecological risk assessment to ensure their restoration and effective management. Therefore, comprehensive watershed management is vital to maintaining the health and sustainability of natural resources and watersheds.
 
Materials and methods: Watersheds as socio-ecological systems have management complexities due to the interaction between the components of ecosystems, the types of activities carried out in them, and the dynamics of these systems. Hence, it is necessary to consider different watershed management approaches to conserve watershed services appropriately. Towards that, the Watershed Management Ladder (WML) consists of three main approaches: non-integrated (fragmented) watershed management, integrated watershed management, and comprehensive watershed management. It is being employed to recognize the position of the watershed in the study ladder. In this research, a field visit to the region was first conducted to draw a conceptual model according to the goals, visions, and missions of the stakeholders. The detailed implementation studies of the Fakhran Watershed were then comprehensively reviewed with the primary goal of evaluating the management position of the Fakhran Watershed in the watershed management ladder. In this regard, at first, the management approaches of the ladder were explained. Then, each approach was investigated according to the detailed implementation studies of the study watershed. On the other hand, since each watershed is placed on the rungs of this ladder according to the conditions and research carried out, brief solutions necessary to move to higher rungs in the Fakhran Watershed were also presented.
 
Results and Discussion: The non-integrated watershed management approach, interdisciplinary sub-approaches, and watershed approach have been carried out based on the studies conducted in this watershed. The research results in Iran indicated that non-integrated watershed management approaches, integrated watershed and comprehensive management of watersheds, and the place of watersheds in WML are yet to be evaluated. Therefore, the current research discusses the position of the Fakhran Watershed in Iran’s South Khorasan in WML. Nonetheless, the implementation-research approach, including health and sustainability assessment, which is one of the essential aspects of this approach, has to be studied in the watershed. In this regard, in the studies of the Fakhran Watershed, the scale of the watershed has been considered to solve hydrological and ecological problems, and the watershed approach has been taken into account in this watershed. The next step of this approach is the implementation-research step, but the plans are implemented again based on the guidelines that still need to be evaluated and updated. So, success at different levels of management in watersheds requires having appropriate knowledge in explaining processes and dealing with various events in watersheds, which is a departure from the current conditions and evokes health in performance and sustainability in providing watershed services. Accordingly, in addition to indigenous knowledge, modern science is influential in empowering communities and moving toward sustainable development. It can be used in the comprehensive management of watersheds and other knowledge. The Fakhran Watershed is, therefore, placed in the third rung of the non-integrated watershed approach.
 
Conclusions: A significant part of these deficiencies and the need for the placement of the studies of this watershed in the higher rungs of WML are towards the description of public services and similar and common existing syllabi for the developmental and implementation projects. It confirms the necessity of revisiting the description of goal-oriented and problem-oriented services in the developmental and implementation projects. Accordingly, watershed officials and policymakers should use new scientific and community-oriented approaches in line with the changing social, economic, cultural, and managerial needs to take up the watershed management position to the upper rungs of WML.
Keywords
Dynamic Management
Local Communities
New Management Approaches
Watershed Health
Watershed Hierarchy

Subjects

Ahn, S. R. & Kim, S. K. (2019). Assessment of Watershed Health, vulnerability and resilience for determining protection and restoration priorities. Environmental Modelling and Software, 122, 103926.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2017.03.014
Al-Busaidi., M. (2012). The struggle between nature and development: Linking local knowledge with sustainable natural resources management in Al-Jabal Al Akhdar Region, Oman. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Glasgow).
Allan, C., Curtis, A., Stankey, G. & Shindler, B. (2008). Adaptive Management and Watersheds: a social science perspective. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA), 44(1), 166-174. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.2007.00145.x
Bagdi, G. L. & Kurothe, R. S. (2014). People’s participation in Watershed management programmes: Evaluation study of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra in India. International Soil and Water Conservation Research, 2(3), 57-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-6339(15)30023-X
Bagheri, A. (2018). Water resources management with water, energy and food linkage approach. The first international conference on water consumption management. Demand and Efficiency. (In Persian).
Bagherian, R., Goodarzi, M., Sanaei Torqabah, M. & Bagherian Kalat, A. (2017). Investigation on dimensions of people’s participation in Watershed management programs; using factor analysis. Watershed Management Science and Engineering, 2(3), 1-10. (In Persian).
Bandoh, G. A. (2010). Conservation and Natural Resource Management in the Ankasa Resource Reserve, Ghana. Doctoral Thesis Waterloo University, 252.
Baniadadi, M. & Palouch, M. (2020). Designing the optimal governance model of underground water resources at the level of the Watershed, Erzuye Watershed-Kerman Province. Watershed Engineering and Management, 12(2), 514-525. (In Persian).
Beheshti, M. & Nasrollahi, L. (2016). Dynamic Analysis of The Role of Social Capital in the Process of Development: an Interdisciplinary Approach. Social Sciences, 23(72), 1-31. (In Persian).
Chai, J., Shi, H., Lu, Q. & Hu, Y. (2020). Quantifying and predicting the Water-Energy-Food-Economy SocietyEnvironment Nexus based on Bayesian networks - A case study of China. Cleaner Production, 256, 120266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120266
Chamani, R., Sadeghi, S. H. R., Vafakhah, M. & Naghdi, M. (2022). Reliability, resilience, and vulnerability of Chalous Watershed based on drought index. Watershed Engineering and Management, 14(1), 65-75. (In Persian).
Chamani, R., Sadeghi, S. H. R., Zare, S., Shekohideh, H., Mumzaei, A., Amini, H., Hemmati, L. & Zarei, R. (2023a). Flood‐oriented Watershed health and ecological security conceptual modeling using pressure, state, and response (PSR) approach for the Sharghonj Watershed, South Khorasan Province, Iran. Natural Resource Modeling, e12385. https://doi.org/10.1111/nrm.12385
Chamani, R., Vafakhah, M. & Sadeghi, S. H. R. (2023b). Effect of drought on temporal-spatial changes of the Efin Watershed health. Watershed Engineering and Management, 15(1), 1-12. (In Persian).
Darabi, M., Gharadaghi, H. & Nejabat, M. (2018). Evaluation of Watershed projects performance on erosion and sediment transport in Sivand Dam Watershed, Fars Province, Iran. Hydrogeomorphology Journal, 14(4), 199-218. (In Persian).
De Montis, A., Martin, B., Ortega, E., Ledda, A. & Serra, V. (2017). Landscape fragmentation in Mediterranean Europe: A comparative approach. Land use policy, 64, 83-94.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.02.028
Duan, T., Feng, J., Chang, X. & Li, Y. (2022). Watershed health assessment using the coupled integrated multistatistic analyses and PSIR framework. Science of the Total Environment, 847, 157523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157523
Ebrahimi-Azarkhoran, F., Ghorbani, M., Selajgeh, A. & Mohseni Saravi, M. (2015). Social Network Analysis: Social power and key actors in the action plan of participatory management of water resources (Case study: Jajroud River, Latian Watershed Darbandsar Village). Watershed Management Association Association, 9(28), 21-33. (In Persian).
EPA, U. S. (1996). Watershed approach framework. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water. http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/framework.
 Ervinia, A., Huang, J. L., Huang, Y. L. & Lin, J. Y. (2019). Coupled effects of climate variability and land use pattern on surface water quality: An elasticity perspective and Watershed health indexs. Science of the Total Environment. 693, 133592. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133592.
Esmali, A. & Abdollahi, K. (2011). Watershed Management & Soil Conservation: University of Mohaghegh Ardabili. (InPersian).
Fabiani, S., Vanino, S., Napoli, R. & Nino, P. (2020). Water energy food nexus approach for sustainability assessment at farm level: An experience from an intensive agricultural area in central Italy. Environmental Science & Policy. 104, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.10 16/j. envsci.2019.10.008
Farzi, P., Sadeghi, S. H. R. & Jomehpour, M. (2022). Application of Resilience Concept in the Analysis of Basic Resources Security for the Shazand Watershed, Markazi Province, Iran. Watershed Management Research, 13(25), 86-96. (In Persian).
Gao, J., Christensen, P. & Li, W. (2017). Application of the WEAP model in strategic environmental assessment: experiences from a case study in an arid/semi-arid area in China. J. Environ. Manag. 371-363, 198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.04.068
Ghaleno, M. R. D., Meshram, S. G. & Alvandi, E. (2020). Pragmatic approach for prioritization of flood and sedimentation hazard potential of Watersheds. Soft Comput, 24, 15701–15714.
Hardy, S. D. (2022). Power to the people: Collaborative Watershed management in the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern (AOC). Environmental Science & Policy, 129, 79- 86.
 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.12.020   
Hazbavi, Z. (2018). Importance of geology and geomorphology in Watershed health assessment. Agriculture & Forestry, 64 (4), 277-287. https://doi.10.17707/AgricultForest.64.4.27
Hazbavi, Z., Parchami, N., Alaei, N. & Babaei, L. (2020). Assessment and analysis of the KoozehTopraghi Watershed health status, Ardabil Province. Water and Soil Resources Conservation, 9(3), 121-142. (In persian).
Henriksen, H. & Barlebo, H. (2008). Reflections on the use of Bayesian belief networks for adaptive management. Environmental Management, 88(4), 1025–1036. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2007.05.009
Hoff, H. (2011). Understanding the NEXUS. Background paper for the Bonn, nexus conference: The water, energy and food security nexus solutions for the green economy. Stockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm.
Holling, C. S. (1978). Adaptive Environmental Assessment and Management. John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 9781932846072.
Jabbari, I. (2021). Development of Science, Interdisciplinary Thinking and the Risk of Fundamental Damage to the Geography of Iran. Geography and Environmental Sustainability, 11(3), 1-8. (In persian).
Jafari, M., Ekhtesasi, M. R. & Fatahi Ardakani, A. (2021). Evaluation of factors affecting the performance and economic productivity of watershed management projects using SWOT model. Watershed Engineering and Management, 13(2), 328-338. https://doi.org/10.22092/ijwmse.2020.126195.1652
Kalbali, E., Ziaee, S., Mardani Najafabadi, M. & Zakerinia, M. (2021). Approaches to adapting to -impacts of climate change in northern Iran: The application of a Hydrogy-Economics model. Journal of Cleaner Production, 280: Part 1, 124067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124067
Linkov, I., Satterstrom, F. K., Kiker, G., Batchelor, C., Bridges, T. & Ferguson, E. (2006). From comparative risk assessment to multi-criteria decision analysis and adaptive management: Recent developments and applications. Environment International, 32(8), 1072–1093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2006.06.013
Mabuza, M. P. (2019). Globalisation, climate change, and disasters. Evaluating International Public Health Issues, 265-313.
Minato, W., Curtis, A. & Allan, C. (2010). Social norms and natural resource managements in a changing rural community. Environmental Policy and Planning, 12(4), 381-403. https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2010.531084
Mohammadi Golrang, B., Lai, F.S. & Sadeghi, S. H. R. (2017). Evaluation of variables affecting people's participation in soil pasture and Watershed management projects, Case Study: Kouskabad Watershed in Khorasan Razavi. Journal of Research and Rural Planning, 6(1), 49-68. (In Persian).
Mohammadi Ostadkelayeh, A., Toomaj, A., Mehrabi Nia, F. & Bahlake, M. (2022). Investigating the Relationship Between Spatial Resilience and Individual Resilience of Areas Subject to Resettlement Plan (Case Study of Northeastern Flooded Areas of Golestan Province). Geography and Environmental Hazards, 11(2), 127-142. (In Persian).
MohseniSaravi, M. & MortezaiiFrizhandi, G. (2015). Integrated Watershad Mnagement (2nd ed). University of Tehran Press. (In Persian).
Moradi, S. & Limaei, S. M. (2018). Multi-objective game theory model and fuzzy programing approach for sustainable Watershed management. Land Use Policy, 71, 363-371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.12.008
Mosaffaei, J., Salehpoorjam, A. & Soltani, M. J. (2020). Identifying and prioritizing factors affecting the non-participation of rural communities in Watershed management projects in the Nirij Watershed. Watershed Management Research, 11(22), 121-131. (In Persian).
Motavali, H. A., Rezaei, A. R. Hejazi, Y. & Elmbaygi, A. (2021). Analysis of the policy network in the participatory management of natural resources (A Case Study of the Hable Rood Watershed). Economic Research and Agricultural Development of Iran. (In Persian).
Mutekanga, F. (2012). Participatory policy development for integrated Watershed management in Uganda’s highlands. PhD Thesis University of Wageningen.
Nasiri Khiavi, A., Vafakhah, M. & Sadeghi, S. H. R. (2022). Application of participatory approach in identifying critical sub-Watersheds based on flood generation potential in the Cheshmeh-Kileh Watershed, Mazandaran Province. Water and Soil Management and Modeling, 3(3), 90-107. (In Persian).
Newaz, M. W. & Rahman, M. S. (2022). Politics of decentralization and management of natural resources: An institutional analysis of commons in northeast Bangladesh. Environmental Development, 44, 100740. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2022.100740.
Noor, H., Bagherian, R. & Sedigh, R. (2018). Assessing attitudes of the rural populations of Khorasan Razavi Province to Watershed management programs. Watershed Management Research, 31(2), 17-26. (In Persian).
Omidi-Shahabad, O., Badri, S., Rezvani, M. & Zali, N. (2019). Analysis of Key Factors Affecting the Formation of Rural Planning Pattern with Futuristic Approach (Case Study: Lorestan Province). Rural Research, 10(1), 90-121. (In Persian).
Pahl-Wostl, C. (2007). Transitions towards adaptive management of water facing climate and global change. Water Resources Management, 21(1), 49-62.
Pahl-Wostl, C., Craps, M., Dewulf, A., Mostert, E., Tabara, D. & Taillieu T. (2007). Social learning and water resources management. Ecology and Society, 12(2): 5.
Prizadi, T., Mostafavi-Sahib, S. & Shah-Mohammadnejad, S. (2017). Futurism of the Residential System in Baseline Scenario Planning: Improving Regional Planning and Planning (Case Study: Isfahan Province). Land Management, 9(1), 81-110. (In Persian).
Rabet, A. R., Rostamizad, GH. & Poorjam, A. S. (2021). Investigating the barriers to the participation of local communities in the process of implementing Watershed and natural resources projects (Arpachai Watershed, Zanjan Province). Watershed Engineering and Management, 1, 1-15. (In Persian).
Rajaei, F., Dahmardeh Behrooz, R., Ahmadisharaf, E., Galalizadeh, S., Dudic, B., Spalevic, V. & Novicevic, R.(2021). Application of integrated watershed management measures to minimize the land use change impacts. Water, 13(15), 2039. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13152039
Rahimzadeh, H. & Charmchiyan Langroodi, M. (2019). The role of villagers' attitude towards Watershed management projects on their participation (Case Study of Kiasar Watershed). Rural Development Strategies Quarterly, 6(1), 75–87. (In Persian).
Ramesht, M., Ahmadi, A. & Ara, H. (2010). Watersheds from a systemic perspective (Case study: Gamasiab River Watershed). Urban Ecological Research, 1(1), 127-136. (In Persian).
Rezaei, R., Vedadi, E. & Mehrdoost, K. (2012). Studying the effective factors on participation of rural people in Watershed plans of Khomarak Basin, case study: Deh Jalal Village. Rural Research, 3(9), 199-221. (In Persian).
Sadeghi, S. H., Jafarpoor, A., Zabihi Silabi, M., Molashahi, S., Naghdi, M., Sharifi Moghani, M., Ghysoori, Z. & Farzadfar, E. (2021a). Biologic Management Framework of Soil Erosion in the Watershed (Applied study: Oshnavieh Galazchai, West Azerbaijan, Iran). Soil and Water Research, 52(4), 997-1010. (In Persian).
Sadeghi, S. H., Jafarpour, A., Farajolahi, M., Khatibi Roodbarsara, D., Moradi Sefidcheghayi, M., Zabihi Silabi, M., Khosravi, M., Kolani, E., Mohammadi, B., Adibi, M. J. & Azarniya, H. (2021b). Biological Management of Soil Erosion (Case Study: Gavoshan Watershed, Kermanshah Province, Iran). Water and Soil, 35(4), 551-566. (In Persian).
Sadeghi, S. H., Moghadam, E. S., Delavar, M. & Zarghami, M. (2020a). Application of water-energy-food nexus approach for designating optimal agricultural management pattern at a watershed scale. Agricultural Water Management, 233, 106071. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106071
Sadeghi, S. H. R., Payfeshoordeh, A., Pirooznia, P., Piri, S., Hamzeh Bibalani, M., Khairparast, M., Sarouneh, F., Mostafaei Younjali, S., Naderi Marangelu, N., Noori., A., Havasi, M. & Chamani, R. (2023). Revisiting the detailed-implementation studies of the Fakhran Watershed in South Khorasan based on the integrated watershed management plan. Integrated Watershed Management, 2(4), 1-16. (In Persian).
Sadeghi, S. H. R., Sharifi Moghadam, E. & Mohseni Saravi, M. (2020b). New approaches in applied watershed management. Gorgan University of Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications, 267. (In Persian).
Sadeghi, S. H. R., Tavoosi, M., Zare, S., Beiranvandi, V., Shekohideh, H., Akbari Emamzadeh, F., Bahlekeh, M., Khorshid Sokhangoy, F. & Chamani, R., (2022). Evaluation and Variability of Flood-Oriented Health of Shiraz Darwazeh Quran Watershed from Watershed Management Structures. Water and Soil, 36(5), 561-577. (In Persian).
Safaei, V., Pourmohammad, Y. & Davari, K. (2020). Interconnected Approach to Water, Energy and Food in Water Resources Management (Case Study: Mashhad Area), Irrigation and Drainage, 5(14), 1721-1708. (In Persian).
Salehpour Jam, A. & Mosaffaie, J. (2023). Introducing the concept of a ladder of Watershed management: A stimulus to promote watershed management approaches. Environmental Science & Policy, 147, 315-325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2023.07.001.
Salehpour Jam, A., Mosaffaie, J. & Tabatabaei, M. R. (2021). Management responses for Chehel-Chay Watershed health improvement using the DPSIR framework. Agric. Sci. Technol. 23, 797–811.
Shamshiri R. R., Mahadi, M. R., Thorp, K. R., Ismail, I. W., Kelly, R., Ahmad, D. & Man, H. C. (2017). adaptive management framework for evaluating and adjusting microclimate parameters in tropical greenhouse crop production systems. INTECH Publication. Book title: Plant Engineering. ISBN 978-953-51-3608-8.
Sharifi Moghadam, E., Sadeghi, S. H., Zarghami, M. & Delavar, M. (2023). Developing sustainable land-use patterns at watershed scale using nexus of soil, water, energy, and food. Science of The Total Environment, 856, 158935. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158935
Sharifi Moghadam, E., Sadeghi, S. H. R., Zarghami, M. & Delavar, M. (2019). Water-energy-food nexus as a new approach for watershed resources management: a review. Environmental Resources Research, 7(2), 129-135.
Tarabon, S., Berg`es, L., Dutoit, T. & Isselin-Nondedeu, F. (2019). Environmental impact assessment of development projects improved by merging species distribution and habitat connectivity modelling. Environ. Manag, 241, 439–449.
Teka, K., Haftu, M., Ostwald, M. & Cederberg, C. (2020). Can integrated Watershed management reduce soil erosion and improve livelihoods? A study from northern Ethiopia. International Soil and Water Conservation Research, 8(3), 266- 276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iswcr.2020.06.007
Thapa, P. S., Chaudhary, S. & Dasgupta, P. (2022). Contribution of integrated Watershed management (IWM) to disaster risk reduction and community development: Lessons from Nepal. Disaster Risk Reduction, 76, 103029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103029
Van Huijstee, M. & Glasbergen, P. (2008). The practice of stakeholder dialogue between multinationals and NGOs. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 15, 289-310. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.171
Wang, J., Zhou, W. & Guan, Y. (2022). Optimization of management by analyzing ecosystem service value variations in different Watersheds in the Three-River Headwaters Basin. Environmental Management, 321, 115956. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115956
Wen, J. & Hou, K. (2021). Research on the progress of regional ecological security evaluation and optimization of its common limitations. Ecological Indicators, 127, 107797. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107797.
Williams, B. K. (2011). Passive and active adaptive management: approaches and an example. Environmental Management, 92(5), 1371–1378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.10.039

  • Receive Date 06 January 2024
  • Revise Date 07 February 2024
  • Accept Date 12 February 2024