Evaluation of the Water Supply and Transfer Plan From the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea to the Center of the Iranian Plateau Through Desalination (Desalination Projects)
Authors
1
Ph.D. Candidate in Environmental Science and Engineering, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2
Associate Professor, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/eiat.2025.230833
Abstract
Considering the lack of fresh water resources in Iran, especially in the arid and semi-arid areas of the central plateau of the country, the issue of transferring water from the open seas (Oman and the Persian Gulf) to these areas has been very controversial and important in recent years. Water transfer (between basins and the open sea) can be an effective step in providing fresh water for these communities, establishing social justice and ultimately achieving sustainable development, so it is necessary to examine the infrastructure and capacities required to carry out such projects in the country. Hence, it is important to identify the existing deficiencies and take effective measures to solve these problems. In this study, using SWOT matrix analysis, we examined the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the field of water transfer at three systemic, organizational and individual levels. For this purpose, a questionnaire was prepared and completed by 30 experts working in executive departments related to water transfer. The analysis of the questionnaire showed that the strategies designed at this level were defensive by nature. The results of the research reminded the importance of preventing water-hungry activities and taking effective measures in combating desert expansion. Also, the important and basic measures should be implemented in connection with the formulation of water protection laws in the context of the country's five-year national development plans, and efforts should be made to enhance the collection of statistics and information on water resources topics, in a detailed and documented manner so that these data can be a suitable basis for decision-making by managers and officials in the future.
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