The water crisisand socio-ecological development profile of Rafsanjan Township, IranS. Mehryar, R. Sliuzas, A. Sharifi, M.F.A.M. van

Maarseveen

Ravage of the Planet IV Conference

1 st – 3 rd July, Opatija, Croatia

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Content

• Introduction• Water demand and drivers• Water supply and the growing water imbalance• The current environmental condition• Government and institutional responses• Discussion and conclusion

July 1-3, 2015

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Water crisis in Middle EastThe Middle East has lost fresh water equivalent to almost the size of the Dead Sea between 2003 and 2010

July 1-3, 2015

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Iran: Average precipitation of 252mm/yrRafsanjan: Average of 100 mm/yr- Iran: 44% of world pistachio production - Rafsanjan:16.6% of the world pistachio production

July 1-3, 2015

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Population Growth and Urban Expansion

1966 1976 1986 1996 2006 20110

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Rafsanjan city population Rafsanjan township populationUrban areas population Rural areas population

Year

Popu

latio

n (T

hous

and)

July 1-3, 2015

- Islamic Republic revolution: 1978 - Iran-Iraq war: 1980-1988 - population doubled in almost 20 years

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Agro-Economic Development1. Satisfy food and water demand 2. Independent economy 3. Agriculture as economic development

July 1-3, 2015

70,000 ha

110,000 ha

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Agro-Economic Development- Agri water use: 663

mm3- Entire water use: 685

mm3- Annual infow: 470mm3

July 1-3, 2015

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Water supply and the growing water imbalance

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

215 190

334291

327

0

618 651 686751 747

638602623

Total wells discharge

Year

Disc

harg

e

- Subsidization of water and energy - supporting more usage of wells

July 1-3, 2015

20% overexploitati

on

37% overexploitation

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Water supply and the growing water imbalance

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11

12

13

-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-20

Ground water depletion^h

(m)

July 1-3, 2015

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Current Environmental Condition

July 1-3, 2015

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Current Environmental Condition

July 1-3, 2015

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Current Environmental Condition

July 1-3, 2015

- Minimize water loss- Exploit water as much as natural

renewable GW- Collective ownership - Equitable water distribution

- Land Reform (1963)- Small and fragmented land holding- Access to more water through pumped

wells- Shift of GW system from public good to a

private good

Institutional and Technology Change

- Rapid economic development- Regarding the self-sufficiency and self-

reliance- ignoring the Environmental aspects- Short-sighted solution to treat the

symptoms- Non-reversal GW to normal situation- Non-effective engineering solutions- Long-term socio-ecological interlinked

perspective- Resilient spatial planning- An adaptive and resilient socio-ecological

system

Conclusion and Recommendation

Thank you Questions?