Evaluating rural participation in wetland management: a contingent valuation analysis of the set-aside policy in Iran

Growing conditions of water scarcity and population growth necessitate measures for improvedwater availability to meet agricultural, industrial, and domestic and consumer water demands;generating new environmental pressures on wetlands and other aquatic ecosystems. In Iran, the“set-aside program” incentivizes farmer participation in wetland conservation throughmandated land management practices, making them key stakeholders in environmentalconservation action. This study explores attitudes to participation in the set-aside wetlandconservation program to revive the Jazmurian wetland in Iran, using a random sample of 226farmer-stakeholder respondents. Farmers were surveyed to investigate economic and socialparticipation using a willingness to accept (WTA) and willingness to pay (in money per ha)(WTP) model. Results show strong (45%) respondent opposition to wetland conservationparticipation. On the basis of their WTA, the amount of compensation offered by the villagerswas significantly affected by “the cultivated area”, “gender”, “education”, “family size”,“residency”, “income”, “moralism”, and “Inverse Mills Ratio index” factors. Also, “thecultivated area”, “age”, “education”, “marital status”, “family size”, and “income” were foundto be significantly affecting their WTP. We argue firstly, that policies to improve wetlandconservation must join together infrastructure and agricultural development planning – suchthat dam projects, agricultural and water conservation planning are better integrated acrosswetland catchments. Secondly, that wetland conservation participation will be improvedthrough land consolidation agreements for small-holders, and through incomes stabilisation,capacity building, social learning and awareness-raising initiatives for farmers towardssustainable agricultural practices

Water quality assessment of Alibaug mangrove forest using multivariate statistical technique, Maharashtra, India

915-923Physicochemical properties of surface water from Alibaug mangrove forest and Akshi coastal area were examined using multivariate statistical techniques viz. cluster analysis and factor analysis during October to December 2010.  Water quality assessment was done by estimating pH, temperature, EC, TDS, DO, COD, salinity, hardness, SAR, TPH, TOG, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+,Cl-, NO3- and PO43-. Water in general showed high values of Hardness, salinity, TDS, EC, COD, TOG, calcium, magnesium, chloride, nitrate and phosphate. Dominant cation and anion were Na+ and Cl- respectively. Cluster analysis grouped sampling sites into three clusters of similar hydrochemical features and classified mangrove forest to low, moderate and high pollution zones. Factor analysis revealed that the most significant parameters contributing to water quality variation are: EC, Na+, PO43-, SAR, Ca2+, temperature, salinity and Cl-. According to factor analysis different natural and anthropogenic sources affect the water quality of study area viz. weathering and seasonal variation, agriculture runoff, domestic and industrial sewage disposal and oil from spill

Comprehensive evaluation of groundwater quality and drought susceptibility in Jazmurian Basin Iran using integrated statistical GIS analysis

Abstract Arid regions face a dual threat of declining groundwater quantity and quality. This study examines these interconnected challenges in the diverse aquifers of Iran’s Jazmurian Basin using GIS and statistics. The study reveals significant spatial variations in salinity, hardness, and sodium content. Of particular concern is the rising electrical conductivity (EC) across most aquifers, especially in the east, which indicates potential water quality degradation. The relationship between groundwater level and salinity is intricate and requires site-specific management. Cluster analysis has identified three distinct groundwater profiles: deep formations that require geological understanding for salinity control, high-quality zones that need recharge protection, and areas that struggle with salinity sources that require identification. Factor analysis identifies salinity and aridity, mineral content related to rock weathering and agriculture, recharge zones requiring protection, and complex interactions between specific ions and groundwater level as key drivers. This study highlights the importance of implementing comprehensive management strategies considering spatial variations, temporal trends, and unique drivers. Targeted interventions, sustainable water use, and effective monitoring programs are essential for safeguarding this vital resource in drought-prone regions. Further research is necessary to refine our understanding of human influences and unique geochemical processes shaping each aquifer system, ultimately enhancing global arid zone groundwater management