Iran-Water Resources Research

Iran-Water Resources Research

Diagnosis of Existing Laws Affecting Water Resources Management in Iran with a System Dynamics Approach and the Development of a Framework for Evaluating New Bills and Legal Proposals

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Hamidreza Maleki Ghaleh 1
Reza Ardakanian 2
Ali Bagheri 3
1 sharif university of technology
2 Sharif University of Technology
3 Tarbiat Modares University
10.22034/iwrr.2025.522643.2877
Abstract
The water crisis in Iran is not only caused by climate change, but human factors such as legislation and policy have also played a significant role in water resource management. In this study, we use a systems thinking approach to evaluate water resource management laws in the agricultural and service sectors. Our aim is to identify the damages and problems caused by legislation and policy in this field. Agricultural laws have threatened the country's water resources by increasing and maintaining the area under cultivation. Since the early 1360s, the area under cultivation has increased by 1.5 times, while the country's aquifer deficit has grown by more than 47 times. Research indicates that if the goal of agricultural expansion is to produce food for the current population using existing methods, there are insufficient water resources to achieve it. Urban development laws have also had negative effects on water resource management through the unbalanced development of urban areas. To address the water crisis, it is essential to define the relationship between metropolitan areas and their peripheries and strive for more balanced growth, possibly reversing current urban growth trends. Lastly, the output from evaluating substantive water resource management laws enables us to develop a framework for assessing new legal proposals and bills.
Keywords
Water Governance
Causal Loop Diagram
Agriculture
Drinking

Subjects

  • Receive Date 11 May 2025
  • Revise Date 02 November 2025
  • Accept Date 11 November 2025