Title: Designing a risk-based multi criteria framework for river health assessment: a case study of Taleghan basin, Iran

Authors: Ali Azarnivand; Nastaran Chitsaz; Arash Malekian

Addresses: Department of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran ' Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran ' Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

Abstract: The prerequisite of designing a water quality monitoring system is providing river health assessment (RHA) which is a complex issue. To do so, the present paper creatively employed two risk-based multi-criteria decision-making methods (MCDMs) namely, ordered weighted averaging (OWA) and compromise programming (CP) to consider different risk potentials, and mitigate uncertainty associated with water quality management. Based on the results, methodologically, a mutual relationship was observed between ranking of CP and OWA. The neutral and optimistic priorities by OWA were completely corresponded with the CPs ranking with respect to p = 1. On the other hand, ascending values of p in CP represented more similarity to the pessimistic view-point of OWA. Technically, both the models illustrated that the most hazardous water quality conditions belonged to 'Taleghan-River' which was a pivotal finding because it is the most important river of the Taleghan basin. Overall, consideration of risk-attitudes in the computational process of decision-making provided different decision priorities. Due to the fact that Taleghan-River is one of the important sources of drinking water for Tehran, Karaj, and Qazvin cities, a strict decision making is recommended.

Keywords: water quality monitoring; river health assessment; RHA; multicriteria decision making; MCDM; risk attitudes; Taleghan basin; Iran; case study; ordered weighted averaging; OWA; compromise programming; uncertainty; water management; quality management; drinking water; water pollution.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHST.2017.080953

International Journal of Hydrology Science and Technology, 2017 Vol.7 No.1, pp.63 - 76

Received: 01 Aug 2015
Accepted: 30 Sep 2015
Published online: 13 Dec 2016 *

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