Impacts of Sensitivity, Awareness, and Social Capital on the Willingness of Stakeholders to Participate in the Protection of Ground Water Resources (Case study: South Mahyar Plain, Isfahan)

In Isfahan province, 27 out of 35 plains are prohibited. Southern Mahyar Plain - Asman Plain is one of these plains as a part of Gavkhouni drainage basin. According to studies, indiscriminate extraction of underground water is the main cause of land subsidence in this region. Since participatory management is one of the basic strategies of sustainable management of water resources, the present research was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of the variables of awareness, sensitivity and social capital on the willingness to participate in the preservation of underground water in this plain. The research is quantitative in nature and practical in purpose. The statistical population of the research is 357 people who are actual users of agricultural wells in Mahyar Plain. The sample size of the study is 206 people who were randomly selected from five regions of Mohammad Abad, Nasr Abad, Porzan, Middle Jarqouye and Upper Jarqouye. Questionnaire was the main tool of data collection. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by using experts' opinions and its reliability was confirmed by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. According to the results, there is a negative relationship between sensitivity and willingness to participate, and positive and significant relationship between social capital and willingness to participate. According to the results, suggestions have been made in order to improve the participation of stakeholders in the participatory management of underground water resources.