Reviving the Dying Giant: Integrated Water Resource Management in the Zayandeh Rud Catchment, Iran

This book presents the results of an interdisciplinary research project that was set up to introduce Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) at the Zayandeh Rud, Central Iran’s most important river. As a result of climate change and a missing overall concept for sustainably managing water resources, the river has repeatedly dried up in recent years. Not only has water stress led to severe conflicts among the water using sectors and neighboring provinces, it also threatens important ecosystems in the region. Thus, the joint development of an IWRM concept for the Zayandeh Rud catchment was the main objective of the project. Comprehensive technological and non-technological measures – ranging from wastewater reuse to capacity development – were adjusted to local conditions and implemented in order to initiate an integrated, iterative IWRM process. The design of a technology-based Water Management Tool (WMT) served as the connective link to create trust, cooperation and coordination among the stakeholders and institutions.

Dr. Shahrooz Mohajeri is the managing director of the inter 3 Institute for Resource Management in Berlin and the IWRM Zayandeh Rud project leader. Born in Isfahan and educated in Iran and Germany, he is an internationally recognized expert for sustainable resource management with a focus on technological, economic and political feasibility. Dr. Mohajeri has been promoting scientific and business cooperation between Iran and Germany for more than 15 years. He is also a member of the German Water Partnership board and the leader of GWP’s Iran section.

Lena Horlemann is a researcher at the inter 3 Institute for resource management and one of the IWRM Zayandeh Rud project coordinators. She holds a master’s degree in Southeast Asian Studies and Agronomy and her professional background also includes global governance and development cooperation. She has worked on environmental and water management issues for more than 10 years, for example in IWRM projectsin Mongolia and now Iran. Her research focuses on social and institutional aspects of IWRM implementation.