The role of Structures of Management in Creation of Hydropolitics Challenges due to Water Transfer of Iran

پژوهش ‎های جغرافیای سیاسی

Article 3, Volume 2, Issue 4 - Serial Number 7, March 2018, Pages 55-80   

Document Type: مقالات علمی -پژوهشی

DOI: 10.22067/pg.v2i7.66729

Authors

Samira Chenari^* ; Mahmuod Vasegh; Zeynab Farnam

University of Tehran

Abstract

Extended abstract

Introduction

One of the main elements of the life is water. Water is the most important part of the survival and life, which in case of shortage, an inherent competition and conflict on it will be raised among different geographical residents. No country will maintain its economic and political stability unless being sure of its water resources. Since Iran is located in the dry and semi-arid region of the world, it has always faced sever limited water resources to meet its population needs in different parts. Given the level of precipitation as well as unequal distribution of water resources in different parts of the country, the water resources and the optimal management of these resources has become important for Iran, as well, it turn to a Hydro-politic issue. Hydro-politic issues of Iran in a national scale are formed under the influence of national policies and the water resource management. The water transfer solution from regions with a high water level to dry regions is considered as the most important options for the water management in Iran. Regardless of economic and technical problems, This issue in Iran has always faced the social and political implications within the framework of the crisis and Hydro-politics challenges.

Theoretical Framework

Hydro-politics, as an important subject of political geography which examines the role of water in political behaviors, consists of different approaches such as conflict and collaboration, conflict and interaction among individuals and groups. It has been defined as the efforts to exercise the domination and exclusive use of water resources. The Hydro-politics can be explained as the study of conflicts and collaboration on the distribution of water resources among political units, or the study of the interactions of political units on the water resources at the local, national and regional levels, accordingly the concepts of Hydro-politics challenges at the local, national and regional scales will be formed.  Therefore, if there is a Imbalance between water supply and the intensity of its demand in the place, then a crisis would be arisen and when this imbalance cannot be solved using a managerial strategy, then the Interaction would be replaced the conflict, and the Hydropolitics would be formed either in the local dimension and in the national or global dimensions.

Methodology

The present study was conducted through the descriptive-analytical approach to answer the following question, "How has the water transfer in Iran become a Hydro-politics challenge?"

Discussion

The management of water resources of Iran with a centralized and governmental structure, along with tangible and intangible policies, has led the water shortage to be changed into water crisis and eventually, has created the­ Hydropolitics challenges in Iran. The water shortage and crisis are the important concepts in Hydro-politics. They have a fundamental role in forming the Hydro-politics challenges. The water crisis on a national scale can cause stress and conflicts. These stresses have been resulted from water shortage in the central regions of Iran, for example, Isfahan, Yazd, Kerman and their adjacent regions with a relatively high water level in Zagros Mountains. In the other words, the Hydro-politic challenges in the central regions of Iran are formed based on the sustainability of the water crisis in these areas.
Since water is considered as a national property and capital in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, then the government and the ministry of power have the authority to solve the inter-sectional problems. Therefore, a centralized management of using the water resources has been formed without the participation of local institutions. Water transfer from regions with relatively good hydrologic power in Iran to places with a water shortage without consideration of its social, political and economic consequences, particularly the lack of attention to Iran's political geography regionalism, would be caused intense local and regional competition on the acquisition of water resources. It also leads to the negative political activities of people and authorities.

Conclusion

This study has evaluated the Hydro-Politic factors of water transfer. It has been concluded that in spite of­ the fundamental limitations and water resources shortage in Iran, the Hydro-Politic challenges of water transfer have been caused by the weaknesses of management and tangible and intangible policy makings in the management of water resources. The negative political regionalism is among the main effective factors on the political activism. If these actions and challenges continue, then they would have negative social, economic and political and ultimately security consequences.
 

Keywords

Hydropolytic Challenge; Water resource management; Water transfer

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