Investigating the Effects of Shirin Dareh Dam Construction on Farmers Living in Lands Covered by Pumping Stations along the Atrak River

The economic benefits of dams have been outweighing the costs of this artificial handmade construction by human being, so it has been providing a rational reason for building them. However, it has been found that the construction of these handmade structures has had a strong effect on the residents along the river, in which have been settling along with. To do so, the present study was conducted to investigate the effects of Shirin Dareh Dam construction on the agricultural status of lands covered by pumping stations along the Atrak River. To achieve this goal, field and library studies were conducted. This research was a survey and the data collection tool was a questionnaire including closed and open questions. The content validity of the research tool was confirmed in consultation with prominent professors of the Department of Agricultural Management and Development, University of Tehran and the Department of Geography, Payame Noor University, Gonbad Center. The statistical population of the present study was two groups of villagers and guards of pumping stations located along the river. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for different parts of the study was higher than 0.7, which indicated that the reliability measurement tool was appropriate. The statistical population of the present study was two groups of villagers and custodians of pumping stations located along the river. The sample size for the statistical population of the villagers using the Cochran's formula was 136 people and to increase the reliability of the data was increased to 160 residents, besides 14 custodians of pumping stations water pumping stations were studied. The results indicated a significant difference between the agricultural situation of the villagers and those in charge of pumping stations before and after the construction of the dam. Factor analysis of positive effects showed that five factors of social, agricultural, environmental, economic and mechanization effects explained a total of 62.21% of the variance. Factor analysis of the negative effects of Shirin Darreh Dam also showed that four factors of physical, chemical, social and environmental effects explained 65.95% of the total variance.