Adaptation of Water Resources to Climate Change (Case study: Cham Anjir watershed, Iran)

Global warming, human activities, and increased water demand have led to a decrease in the resilience of the environment. Their effects in dry climates like Iran lead to the reduction of surface water and a water table drop. To evaluate the adaptation strategy for water resources with climate change, the Cham Anjir watershed was selected in the west of Iran. The geostatistical techniques are applied here. In this study, to detect climate change in the Cham Anjir watershed , hydrological-climatic data from 1991 to 2020 were used, and to adapt to climate change, a researcher-constructed questionnaire was employed. The results showed that annual temperature has increased. Long-term droughts have led to a decrease of available water. The local community has a correct understanding of climate change and its effects. Weak financial resources, lack of proper agricultural insurance support, weak training and technical consulting activities, lack of access to new technologies, and administrative bureaucracy are the most important obstacles to adaptation to climate change. Climate change adaptation programs include measures to meet essential needs, provide financial resources (short-term), improve irrigation and increase productivity (mid-term), and diversify economic activities (long-term) emphasized and accepted by the local community. The findings showed that the difference between local communities and technical experts with government experts is the most important obstacle in adapting strategies to climate change. Therefore, correcting the views of farmers and farm technicians with public sector experts is crucial for the success of climate change adaptation measures.