Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Phd Student of Watershed Management, Department of Arid and Mountainous Region Reclamation Engineering , Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Arid and Mountainous Region Reclamation Engineering , Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
3 Phd Student of Range Management, Department of Arid and Mountainous Region Reclamation Engineering , Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
Abstract
Introduction
Sustainable water resources management in arid and semi-arid regions such as Iran is a critical challenge for ensuring food security and environmental protection. While surface dams have traditionally been effective, they face issues such as high evaporation, sedimentation, and ecological impacts, highlighting the need for alternative solutions. Underground dams reduce water loss and preserve water quality, offering significant potential for improving groundwater management. However, their implementation in Iran encounters technical, social, economic, and institutional challenges. This study uses a grounded theory approach to develop a practical management framework for underground dam implementation, aiming to optimize water use while ensuring the long-term sustainability and efficiency of these infrastructures.
Materials and methods
This qualitative study was conducted using Strauss and Corbin’s grounded theory approach, involving 14 experts in watershed management and underground dams with at least 15 years of experience, selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews until theoretical saturation was achieved. Analysis followed open, axial, and selective coding, resulting in 201 open codes, organized into 49 axial codes and 22 main categories. Data validity and reliability were ensured through expert evaluation, coder agreement, and triangulation methods, leading to the development of a final paradigmatic model for managing the implementation of underground dams.
Results and discussion
This study aimed to develop a paradigmatic model for the management of underground dam implementation in Iran and to analyze the factors affecting project success, based on Strauss and Corbin’s Grounded Theory approach. To achieve this, 14 experts and executive managers with 15–35 years of experience, including faculty members and senior managers of national natural resource organizations, participated in the study, providing a diverse and robust basis for qualitative analysis. Through open coding, 201 initial concepts were identified, which, after organization into axial and selective codes, led to the extraction of five core components of the paradigmatic model: causal conditions, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences. The causal conditions, including inefficiency of surface dams, threats to livelihoods, and water security risks, acted as the main drivers for adopting underground dams, while contextual conditions such as geological and site characteristics, technical specifications, functional and economic capacities, and local experience created a supportive operational environment for project implementation. Moreover, intervening conditions, including policies, legal frameworks, operational challenges, social participation, and economic justification, played a moderating role affecting the success of strategies and outcomes. Strategy analysis revealed that comprehensive planning, technological development, stakeholder engagement, socio-economic decision-making, training and capacity-building, adoption of innovative technologies, and resource management are critical for achieving underground dam objectives, and coordinated implementation of these strategies enhances management effectiveness, reduces risks, and improves water resource sustainability. Finally, the consequences were identified across five domains: water resource protection and sustainability, economic efficiency and technology acceptance, sustainable agricultural development and water supply, ecological balance and social impacts, and overall project sustainability, demonstrating that simultaneous consideration of causal, contextual, and intervening factors along with coordinated strategies is key to project success. Therefore, the extracted paradigmatic model explains the dynamic interactions among factors and their effects on strategies and outcomes, offering a robust framework for decision-making and policy planning in water resource management in dry and semi-arid regions of Iran, while aligning with international studies and contributing novel insights by integrating technical, managerial, economic, and social dimensions and emphasizing the moderating role of intervening conditions and economic consequences.
Conclusions
Underground dams in Iran can be considered a complementary, context-specific option whose success depends on technical, social, economic, and institutional factors. Inefficiencies of surface dams and threats to water security justify their use, while suitable geological conditions enable implementation. Strategies such as comprehensive planning, technology development, stakeholder engagement, and education can lead to sustainable water management, agricultural development, and economic resilience. This study provides a paradigm model offering a framework for decision-making and management of underground dams, serving as a foundation for future research and water resource planning.
Keywords
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