Flood Assessment in the Context of Sustainable Development using the DPSIR Framework

Abstract

The assessment in the context of sustainable development is a holistic approach for assessing the impacts and trade-offs related to various land and water management options. It is a procedure in which a knowledge-based approach should be derived to develop a basis for decision making. A Diver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework has been adopted to carry out the assessment. It is illustrated in the case of Gorganrood Basin (located in the north east of Iran) for the issue of flood to describe the relationship between the origin and consequences of flooding and also to understand the dynamics underpinning the problem. The analysis of the state of flood by DPSIR shows that the responses in Gorganrood Basin have led to inadequate problem-solving results not even effective to reduce system sensitivity to flood in the long term. In the context of DPSIR some reasonable responses may be regarded as decreasing the rates of urbanization, deforestation, land consolidation, and immigration; watershed management programs; and river dredging. DPSIR helps in structuring data in a reasonable way and allows decision makers to trace step wise fundamental problem drivers and explores leverage points where appropriate responses can be exerted.