IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/waterr/v39y2025i5d10.1007_s11269-024-04064-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Significance of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus on the Watershed Health Status

Author

Listed:
  • Sanaz Pourfallah Asadabadi

    (Tarbiat Modares University)

  • Seyed Hamidreza Sadeghi

    (Tarbiat Modares University)

  • Mehdi Vafakhah

    (Tarbiat Modares University)

  • Majid Delavar

    (Tarbiat Modares University)

Abstract

Inadequate resource utilization planning can impose considerable stress on ecosystems. It is essential to assess the health of watersheds and strategically manage the consumption of vital water, energy, and food resources. This study evaluated the impact of implementing the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus on the health of the Pishkuh Watershed in Yazd Province, Iran. The watershed’s health was conceptualized using the pressure-state-response (PSR) framework alongside problem diagnosis. Various anthropogenic, hydrological, and environmental criteria were gathered or extracted based on data availability and accessibility. The primary crops were optimized through the WEF nexus, considering water and energy consumption, productivity, economic efficiency, and food availability while also considering the limitations of the sub-watershed cultivation area and the availability of water and energy resources. The optimal solution was integrated into the PSR framework at the sub-watershed level. The watershed’s health was zoned at this scale, and normalized indicators yielded a health index of 0.53 for the entire watershed. The findings indicated that anthropogenic factors had the most pronounced impact on the region’s health status. Furthermore, any decision-making regarding ecosystem management can influence the watershed’s health. Consequently, applying the WEF nexus index maximization scenario within the PSR framework enhanced the health status of the Pishkuh Watershed to 0.55, reflecting an improvement of approximately 4%. Although the research results confirm a modest enhancement in watershed health due to applying the WEF nexus, they also suggest a relatively efficient use of water and soil resources. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain the sustainable use of existing resources and to encourage watershed residents to engage in responsible resource management. Graphical Abstract

Suggested Citation

  • Sanaz Pourfallah Asadabadi & Seyed Hamidreza Sadeghi & Mehdi Vafakhah & Majid Delavar, 2025. "Significance of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus on the Watershed Health Status," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 39(5), pages 2217-2250, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:39:y:2025:i:5:d:10.1007_s11269-024-04064-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-024-04064-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11269-024-04064-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11269-024-04064-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mardani Najafabadi, Mostafa & Magazzino, Cosimo & Valente, Donatella & Mirzaei, Abbas & Petrosillo, Irene, 2023. "A new interval meta-goal programming for sustainable planning of agricultural water-land use nexus," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 484(C).
    2. Francisco José Castillo-Díaz & Luis J. Belmonte-Ureña & María José López-Serrano & Francisco Camacho-Ferre, 2024. "Quantifying sustainability in the agri-food system: a comprehensive methodological framework and expert consensus approach," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, December.
    3. Mohammadi, Ali & Omid, Mahmoud, 2010. "Economical analysis and relation between energy inputs and yield of greenhouse cucumber production in Iran," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 191-196, January.
    4. Zwart, Sander J. & Bastiaanssen, Wim G. M., 2004. "Review of measured crop water productivity values for irrigated wheat, rice, cotton and maize," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 115-133, September.
    5. Mosaffaie, Jamal & Salehpour Jam, Amin & Tabatabaei, Mahmoud Reza & Kousari, Mahammad Reza, 2021. "Trend assessment of the watershed health based on DPSIR framework," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Qian, Anqi, 2024. "Regional differences, dynamic evolution, and obstacle factors of cultivated land ecological security in China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    2. Mohammad Alauddin & Upali A. Amarasinghe & Bharat R. Sharma, 2014. "Four decades of rice water productivity in Bangladesh: A spatio-temporal analysis of district level panel data," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 51-64.
    3. Gao, Yang & Yang, Linlin & Shen, Xiaojun & Li, Xinqiang & Sun, Jingsheng & Duan, Aiwang & Wu, Laosheng, 2014. "Winter wheat with subsurface drip irrigation (SDI): Crop coefficients, water-use estimates, and effects of SDI on grain yield and water use efficiency," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 1-10.
    4. Islam, AFM Tariqul & Islam, AKM Saiful & Islam, GM Tarekul & Bala, Sujit Kumar & Salehin, Mashfiqus & Choudhury, Apurba Kanti & Dey, Nepal C. & Hossain, Akbar, 2022. "Adaptation strategies to increase water productivity of wheat under changing climate," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    5. Pahlavan, Reza & Omid, Mahmoud & Akram, Asadollah, 2011. "Energy use efficiency in greenhouse tomato production in Iran," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(12), pages 6714-6719.
    6. Ghatrehsamani, Shirin & Ebrahimi, Rahim & Kazi, Salim Newaz & Badarudin Badry, Ahmad & Sadeghinezhad, Emad, 2016. "Optimization model of peach production relevant to input energies – Yield function in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province, Iran," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 315-321.
    7. Naeimeh Samavatean & Shahin Rafiee & Hossein Mobli, 2011. "An Analysis of Energy Use and Estimation of a Mechanization Index of Garlic Production in Iran," Journal of Agricultural Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 3(2), pages 198-198, June.
    8. Katerji, Nader & Campi, Pasquale & Mastrorilli, Marcello, 2013. "Productivity, evapotranspiration, and water use efficiency of corn and tomato crops simulated by AquaCrop under contrasting water stress conditions in the Mediterranean region," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 14-26.
    9. Geerts, S. & Raes, D. & Garcia, M., 2010. "Using AquaCrop to derive deficit irrigation schedules," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 213-216, December.
    10. Barut, Zeliha Bereket & Ertekin, Can & Karaagac, Hasan Ali, 2011. "Tillage effects on energy use for corn silage in Mediterranean Coastal of Turkey," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 5466-5475.
    11. Plappally, A.K. & Lienhard V, J.H., 2012. "Energy requirements for water production, treatment, end use, reclamation, and disposal," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(7), pages 4818-4848.
    12. Ahmad, Mirza Junaid & Iqbal, Muhammad Anjum & Choi, Kyung Sook, 2020. "Climate-driven constraints in sustaining future wheat yield and water productivity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    13. Oweis, T.Y. & Farahani, H.J. & Hachum, A.Y., 2011. "Evapotranspiration and water use of full and deficit irrigated cotton in the Mediterranean environment in northern Syria," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(8), pages 1239-1248, May.
    14. Fan, Yubing & Wang, Chenggang & Nan, Zhibiao, 2014. "Comparative evaluation of crop water use efficiency, economic analysis and net household profit simulation in arid Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 335-345.
    15. Hamani, Abdoul Kader Mounkaila & Liu, Junming & Si, Zhuanyun & Kpalari, Djifa Fidele & Wang, Guangshuai & Gao, Yang & Ju, Xiaotang, 2024. "The relationship of δD and δ18O in soil water and its implications for soil evaporation across distinct rainfall years in winter wheat field in the North China Plain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    16. Kumar, M. Dinesh & van Dam, J. C., 2009. "Improving water productivity in agriculture in India: beyond \u2018more crop per drop\u2019," IWMI Books, Reports H042639, International Water Management Institute.
    17. Sekyi-Annan, Ephraim & Tischbein, Bernhard & Diekkrüger, Bernd & Khamzina, Asia, 2018. "Performance evaluation of reservoir-based irrigation schemes in the Upper East region of Ghana," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 134-145.
    18. Liu, Junguo & Williams, Jimmy R. & Zehnder, Alexander J.B. & Yang, Hong, 2007. "GEPIC - modelling wheat yield and crop water productivity with high resolution on a global scale," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 478-493, May.
    19. Özgöz, Engin & Altuntaş, Ebubekir & Asiltürk, Murat, 2017. "Effects of soil tillage on energy use in potato farming in Central Anatolia of Turkey," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 1517-1523.
    20. Sara Ilahi & Yongchang Wu & Muhammad Ahsan Ali Raza & Wenshan Wei & Muhammad Imran & Lyankhua Bayasgalankhuu, 2019. "Optimization Approach for Improving Energy Efficiency and Evaluation of Greenhouse Gas Emission of Wheat Crop using Data Envelopment Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-16, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:39:y:2025:i:5:d:10.1007_s11269-024-04064-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.