Long Term Simulation of Shazand Plain Aquifer under Changing Resources and Applications

Abstract

Iran is among the world's arid and semi-arid regions and its demand for water has been increased due to<br />population growth, urbanization and the development the economic sectors (industrial and agricultural). In<br />many of these regions, the lack of planning and the unauthorized use of resources have led to excessive<br />exploitation and a lower level of groundwater. The usable groundwater for the country water supply is about<br />55 percent. Research has been carried out for modeling the Shazand groundwater, which is located in<br />Markazi Province. Modeling has been carrying out using Visual Modflow software. In recent years Shazand<br />aquifer groundwater levels have dropped significantly. Groundwater level during 8 years (1998-2006) was<br />0.84 m and the annual average 0.105 m has also fallen. Population, urbanization and increasing migration in<br />this region have resulted in higher demand for water which its only solution is inevitably limited<br />consumption in the agriculture sector through efficiency improvement. The model execution results for these<br />two options reveal that efficiency improvement will increase the basin hydrograph about 3.4m during an 8<br />year period with 0.42 m annual average. Increasing population trends during a 10 year period have resulted<br />in 2.5m reduction in the water table level with annual average of 0.23 m. According to planning horizon and<br />drinking water supply, final results indicate that the stability of aquifer resources without other<br />complementary resources depends on more limited agricultural usage through the improvement of efficiency<br />and irrigation methods.