Evaluation of urban assets and the consequences affecting them in the face of disasters

This study sought to create a framework for assessing and categorizing urban resources and evaluating their susceptibility to environmental hazards, particularly human-caused disasters. Natural assets, specifically urban rivers, were prioritized using the CARVER method, which considered criticality, accessibility, recoverability, vulnerability, impact, and recognizability. The Abbas Abad River in Hamedan emerged as a key asset. The most pressing threats to this river were identified by examining historical risk data and expert insights. Subsequently, a risk matrix was employed to analyze these threats' likelihood and potential consequences. The findings revealed that the most significant threats to the Abbas Abad River included: i) the discharge of untreated sewage and surface runoff from recreational areas, residential properties, and nomadic communities located near and upstream of the river, ii) periods of drought, decreased rainfall, and water scarcity, and iii) the deliberate dumping of sewage into the river by sewage trucks. These threats were initially assessed as high-risk with 25, 20, and 20 values, respectively. Recognizing that the Abbas Abad River supplies a portion of the city's drinking water during dry seasons, these 3 threats were deemed priorities for funding and risk management initiatives. Following the implementation of control measures and the allocation of resources, the risk levels associated with these threats were significantly reduced to 10 (low), 15 (medium), and 10 (low), respectively, indicating a substantial improvement in the safety of the studied asset.