Journal of Geography, Regional Planning and Development

SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT FOR UTILIZATION IN AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS: AL-SAQI ALTERNATIVE WATER PROJECT – KARBALA, IRAQ

Rafal Ghassan Mahmood — 2025-08-20

Objective: Groundwater represents the most important source for sustaining agriculture and maintaining socio-economic development, especially in arid and semi-arid regions such as Iraq’s western desert, as surface water is scarce. Method: Al-Saqi Alternative Water Project in Karbala province represents one of the most important projects, which depends on GW to cultivate different types of corps, has adopted the latest agricultural technologies and smart fertilization systems under the supervision of specialized companies, so that 3 main scenarios were put forward in order to get the optimal exploitation for the whole area of project (35000 dunums) with no leading to GW scarcity. Results: First scenario includes planting only wheat, proved to be a sustainable scenario, whereas the second one involved cultivating many summer and winter crops (each for the whole area), which showed markable risk. In the last scenario, it was assumed that a mix of summer crops is planted together evenly and so on for Winter crops, which eventually showed partial success. Novelty: The outcomes of this study emphasised that crop type selection and land-use plan play a vital role in maintaining groundwater sustainability.

ISSUES OF DELIMITATION AND MAPPING OF THE SANGZOR RIVER BASIN BASED ON A BASIN APPROACH

Qosimov Nurmuxamad Dursinovich — 2025-08-20

Objective: This study aims to analyze the Sangzor River basin as a distinct geosystem by delineating its geographical and administrative boundaries and assessing its internal structural hierarchy. Method: The research employs a basin approach supported by Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing technologies to determine the spatial extent, sub-basin classification, and natural resource utilization within the Sangzor basin. Results: The findings reveal that the Sangzor River basin, located in the Middle Zarafshan natural geographic district and spanning the Jizzakh and Samarkand regions, consists of 78 identified sub-basins categorized into first-order basins. The study provides precise geographic coordinates, demonstrates the interconnection between tributaries originating from the Morguzar and Chumqor mountains, and identifies key environmental characteristics influencing basin dynamics. Novelty: This research contributes to the field by integrating a basin-geosystem perspective with advanced GIS-based delineation techniques, offering an updated methodological framework for assessing river basin structures and natural resource management in arid and semi-arid regions of Central Asia.