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Comparative assessment of local communities' attitudes towards the effectiveness of earth dams in watersheds with different livelihood structures
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Ali Dastranj *    , Hamzeh Noor |
| Assistant Professor, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Department, Khorasan Razavi Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Mashhad. Iran. A.dastranj@ut.ac.ir |
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Abstract: (258 Views) |
| This study aimed to comparatively investigate local communities' perception of the outcomes of check dam projects (watershed management measures) in two watersheds with different socio-economic structures, Khanik (agriculture and qanat‑based economy) and Firuzeh Mine (mining‑based economy) in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran. This applied research employed a descriptive‑analytical survey method. Data were collected using a researcher‑made questionnaire with a five‑point Likert scale comprising 27 items across four dimensions: hydrological, economic, social, and flood damage reduction. Content validity was confirmed by experts, and reliability was established using Cronbach's alpha (>0.75). Sample sizes were 92 in Khanik and 106 in Firuzeh Mine. The Friedman non‑parametric test was used for ranking items, and the two‑sample Kolmogorov‑Smirnov test was applied to compare response distributions between the two communities. No significant differences were found in over 85% of items (23 out of 27), with the strongest convergence observed in the flood damage reduction dimension (all items ranked among the top five in both watersheds). However, significant differences were detected in four key items: "increased qanat discharge" (X7), "increased agricultural well discharge" (X6), "increased agricultural land price" (X3), and "conflict with the implementing government agency" (X25) (p<0.05). In Khanik, increased qanat discharge ranked first, whereas it ranked seventh in Firuzeh Mine. Overall satisfaction was substantially higher in Khanik (72.2% high satisfaction) compared to Firuzeh Mine (0% high satisfaction). Local communities' perceived effectiveness of watershed management projects depends not only on technical specifications but also on the socio‑economic structure and the degree of livelihood dependence on water and soil resources. In qanat‑dependent agricultural areas, groundwater recharge projects receive higher priority and acceptance, whereas in mining‑dependent areas, even technically successful projects may yield low perceived effectiveness. Strengthening participatory monitoring and evaluation, the weakest link in participation in both regions, is essential. |
Article number: 2 |
| Keywords: Perceived effectiveness, local community perception, earthen dam, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Khanik watershed, Firoozeh mine watershed, livelihood structure |
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Full-Text [PDF 1835 kb]
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/04/16 | Revised: 2026/07/31 | Accepted: 2026/06/9 | ePublished ahead of print: 2026/06/26 | ePublished: 2026/07/30
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