Developing a Multi-Criteria Decision Model (MCDM) for Selection of Water Resource Management Projects in the Lake Urmia, Based on Sustainable Development Criteria

Lake Urmia as drainage of Urmia basin has confronted different crises in recent decades, including arises in water
surface level to 1278/4 above sea water level in June 1995 and then continued dropping in next 15 years to the level
of 1271/2 in Dec 2010. These vast changes point up absence of sustainable and holistic approach in usage of limited
water resources in this strategic basin. These mismanagements resulted in loss of 14/5 billion cubic meters of lake
volume and increases in average water salinity to the 300 gram per litter, which is threatening Artemia Urmia in its
unique natural ecosystem. In this regard, different strategies have been offered from domestic and overseas engineers
in order to improve lake’s condition and provide new resources of water. Through sustainable development approach,
this study evaluates four structural and one non-structural (mitigations) strategies by means of nine criteria which can
brought considerable amount of water to the lake. At first, four sustainable groups of criteria (Economical, Social,
Environmental and Technical) developed and rated by means of AHP processes. Second, ELECTREIII, Analytic
Hierarchy Process (AHP) and combiunation of these MACDM methods were used by group questionnaire for ranking
projects. According to 25 common proper forms in all models, Executive Committee project rated as the first project
ahead from other water transition projects.

Developing a Multi-Criteria Decision Model (MCDM) for Selection of Water Resource Management Projects in the Lake Urmia, Based on Sustainable Development Criteria Keywords:

Discharge coefficient , Debris flood , Detention dam , slit dam , Dimensional Analysis