Optimization of water resource management under drought condition; Case Study Sarkhoun Plain, Hormozgan Province

The challenges of drought and groundwater shortage in arid and semi-arid countries like Iran are natural heritage. Almost 92% of the water use in Iran accounts for agriculture overexploiting groundwater aquifers. Therefore, cross-sector management is necessary to prevent unconstrained use of the aquifers and implement sustainable agriculture practices. This study used linear programming (LP) model to optimize the groundwater use and cultivation pattern in Sarkhoun plain. Therefore, the drought state of Sarkhoun plain was assessed in the study area based on SPI and GRI indices for a 25-year period (1988-1989 to 2013-2014) using the records of precipitation and groundwater level. Then, LP models were developed to maximize the net benefits of water use. So, three scenarios of current cropping pattern, irrigation efficiency, and population growth were used to predict the water supply impacts on cropping pattern in the Sarkhoun plain. The results showed that groundwater level of Sarkhoun plain has dropped 6 meters since 2008 following by severe and very severe drought events since 2000. Optimizing cropping pattern outputted to save 2 × 106 m3 water and increase the net benefits by 711 % for the planning year (2011).