IS PARTICIPATORY GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT AN OPTION?

In Iran as well as in the rest of the world, a large sector of the irrigated area is totally or partly dependent on groundwater. As such groundwater has become a cornerstone of many regional economies and societies. Yet contrary to surface water irrigation, where a lot of attention has been given to PIM, within the groundwater irrigation sector there has been very little attention for participatory management of groundwater resources even though in most places it is a very pressing issue. Dropping groundwater tables and pumps that run dry in many areas clearly show that often the present use of groundwater is unsustainable. In irrigation systems where conjunctive water management takes place combining groundwater and surface water management can offer an option for participatory groundwater management. This case study analyzes the situation of groundwater resource use in the Abshar irrigation system in the Zayandeh Rud Basin Iran and establishes the question if participatory management of groundwater and conjunctive use is a viable option for irrigation management in the present context.