Water Crisis and the Need to Reassess Water Ownership and Utilization Methods in Baluchestan (Case Study: Saravan)

The water crisis in Baluchestan stems from both natural factors and mismanagement of water resources throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries. This study adopts a comparative-critical approach to examine water governance across two legislative periods: the Law on Water and Its Nationalization (1968) and the Fair Distribution of Water Act (1982). It also analyzes the continuation of these laws in recent decades and their impact on water usage practices in Baluchestan. The research methodology is historical-descriptive and interview-based. Findings indicate a regression in water rights following the revision of the water law in 1982. The study’s results-including the mismanagement of water resources, legal shortcomings, failure to implement existing regulations, fragmented land ownership, and neglect of water balance in the region-offer historically-informed solutions to overcome the crisis and promote sustainable water management in Baluchestan. These include reforming water governance, consolidating fragmented land holdings, implementing participatory management models, aligning water production and consumption costs, improving exploitation methods, and balancing water input and output to enhance the region’s water balance. Interviews with experts and local residents suggest that the water crisis in Baluchestan can be addressed through legal reforms, stakeholder participation, improved consumption patterns, and the use of modern methods such as crop pattern adjustment, underground irrigation, and smart watershed management.