Choosing water Allocation Strategy in Hamedan–Bahar Aquifer Based on SWOT and Multi-Criteria Decision Making

The growing number of areas facing water scarcity necessitates adaptive water management strategies which can be beyond traditional water supply and demand management methods. Present study was aimed at identifying and ranking strategies of water allocation based on SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) technique. The results might help managers and planners by uncovering the challenges. In this descriptive and applied survey, multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) method was used. The study population was comprised of 43 field experts. A researcher-made questionnaire was used for data gathering. Content validity of the questionnaires and the criteria were ensured using feedbacks from the experts and screening process. The factors and dimensions were weighed and ranked using ANP and VIKOR respectively. The results showed that the Stakeholders' participation in the formation of water allocation patterns and inadequacy of compensation mechanisms are the most important strengths and weaknesses, respectively. The awareness of civil activists about water scarcity and illegal extraction have been identified as the most important opportunities and threats for the water allocation in the Hamedan–Bahar Aquifer, respectively. The results revealed that based on DEMATEL, ‘strengths opportunities’ and ‘strengths threats’ were the most affecting and the most affected factors among the group strategies, respectively. In addition, ANP showed that the “fair sharing of economic benefits from water allocation” was the ‘top strength’ sub-factor. Based on VIKOR method, “environmental dimension” was the most significant dimension. The results also indicated that to be successful in the field of water allocation, it is comprehensive policies should be imperatively revised.