A Conceptual Design of Water Circulation in an Urban Environment: Towards Eco-solidarity with Economic and Social Values

Rivers bring vitality to a city and its environment. However, today, due to the lack of water for essential purposes in many regions of the world, many urban rivers do not have instream flow. To rectify this, first, a minimum flow of water required to make the river visible is determined, and then the possibility of recirculating water is explored. Ecotourism in the context of eco-solidarity is defined as responsible travel to natural areas that preserve the environment, sustain the well-being of local people, and involve “interpretation and education.” Isfahan is a unique tourism hub in Iran, and the region has faced significant environmental and economic changes. Unlike before, there is no permanent flow in the Zayandeh-Rud River passing through the city. This study evaluates the two river alternatives without and with water recirculation with an uncertain multi-criteria decision-making method (MCDM) and measures an Eco-Index. A detailed uncertainty and cost-benefits analysis, including tourists’ income, capital cost, and some losses to the agricultural sector, are performed. Assuming 12% as an upper bound for the growth of tourists with the water recirculation scenario, the first-year net benefit will be at least $240 million. The net benefit is also estimated by examining the growth in tourism in the three countries of Chile, Greece, and the UAE before Covid 19. Under different scenarios over a 20-year time horizon, it could be as much as $3.64 billion that will significantly change the economic prosperity of the city and the region.