Strategies for sustainable management of underground water resources in the agricultural sector of Karkheh-olia Basin

The drought and water shortages of the last few decades have had a significant effect on the reduction of underground water resources in the Upper Karkheh Basin; On the other hand, the dependence of the life of rural communities and the agricultural sector on water resources (especially underground water resources) is undeniable; Therefore, this research aims to take a look at the sustainable management of underground water resources by emphasizing social and human issues. The current research is an applied and single-section research. The statistical population of the study was the experts involved in the management of water resources in the agricultural sector, the relevant faculty members in the university, the researchers and the farmers in the study area, and 68 people were selected purposefully. The required information was collected through semi-structured interviews; this stage's results  were analyzed using content analysis. The results of this part were 330 open codes, which by removing similar and duplicate items, 150 components were finalized. In the following, they were summarized using the STEEP analytical model. Sustainable management requires the application of strategies that consider the balance of supply and demand. In this regard, strategies were developed, which include the strategy of efficiency and effectiveness of aquifers and their development (environment); The strategy of implementing integrated management of water resources in the Karkheh Alya basin (policy-making); The strategy of reforming the structure of water consumption in the region in line with adaptation to water scarcity (policy-social); The strategy of diversifying the economy of rural communities with an emphasis on non-agricultural (economic) jobs for the resilience of rural communities and finally the fifth strategy of developing new technologies in the region (technical-technological).