Delphi technique in river basin planning: değirmendere sub-basin

With their various ecosystem properties, river basins are basic planning units of significant importance. However, the fact that river basins have not been managed in a sustainable manner and according to ecological principles has brought about wrong decision making in land use. As a result integrated river basin planning and management concept has gained importance. In Turkey, there is not a process model for integrated river basin planning. Lack of such a process, cause not to prevent the current pressure on river basins and disrupt the ecological balance. The aim of this study which bases on the lack of the process is identifying basin-specific problems and strategies in basins must be protected ecologically and developing an integrated river basin planning process and model. In the first chapter of the study, ecology, sustainability, and integrated river basin planning and management concepts are defined, and river basin management and planning in the World and in Turkey are tried to be explained. In the second chapter, with the aim of accesing the process, Değirmendere Sub-Basin which provides the supply of drinking water for the city and states in the urban region of the Trabzon, was chosen as the case area. In this regard, the literature of the field working and planning decisions are included. Integrated river basin planning and management requires an interdisciplinary study. That is why, Delphi Technique was used as a tool for determining the planning problems and problems which guide the planning related to case area. A group of experts including academicians, technical personnel, decisionmakers and certifying agencies familiar with the area have been consulted in the Delphi Technique. In the third chapter, problems requiring immediate solutions in the study area was discussed and some strategies were proposed for the solutions for these problems. Also, literature and Delphi Technique used in this study provide determining the principles which give or be able to give direction to river basin planning. At last, taking the Değirmendere Sub-Basin as an example, the process model for integrated river basin planning and management was proposed.