Examining the Implications of Water Resources Governance Patterns for the Sustainability of Rural Settlements Vulnerable to Water Scarcity (Study Area: Rural Areas Surrounding Lake Parishan)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
مهدی پور طاهری 1
Nazanin Azarniou 2
Zabih_Allah Torabi 2
Mohammadreza Shahbazbegian 3
1 Tarbiat Modares University
2 Department of Geography and Rural Planning, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University
3 Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the implications of the existing water resources governance pattern for the sustainability of rural settlements surrounding Lake Parishan. The research was applied in purpose, quantitative in approach, and based on field data. The statistical population comprised local residents, local managers, and experts involved in water resources management, and a total of 415 questionnaires were analyzed. Data were analyzed using the one-sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the Preference Selection Index (PSI). The results showed that the environmental, economic, and social dimensions were all below the theoretical midpoint, with the environmental dimension exhibiting the most unfavorable condition. Significant differences among stakeholder groups were observed only in the environmental dimension, primarily between local residents and experts. The PSI results identified land economic value, economic water productivity, farmers’ literacy level, unemployment, and annual migration as the most influential indicators differentiating rural settlements. Spatial ranking also revealed considerable heterogeneity among the studied villages. Overall, the findings highlight the need for an integrated, spatially differentiated approach to water management that simultaneously enhances water productivity, human capacities, and institutional coordination.
Keywords
Parishan Lake
Sustainable water resource
governance
Water scarcity
PSI
Rural settlements
Subjects