Selecting an Appropriate Operational Method for Main Irrigation Canals within Multicriteria Decision-Making Methods

In this study, a systematic framework is introduced to prioritize several practical canal operation alternatives applying to modernization and rehabilitation projects. Several operation techniques, ranging from improved manual canal operation to centralized automatic operation, are considered. Ten different operation methods are selected as alternatives for the modernization and rehabilitation project. Mathematical models of the proposed alternatives are designed and potential applications of them are examined. The designed models are tested on an accurate simulation model of a large canal system in Iran. In regards to multicriteria inherent in selecting an appropriate operation method, multiple criteria are considered including 13 technical, social, operational, and economic criteria. Two well-known multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) methods of technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) and simple additive weighting (SAW) have been applied to prioritize alternatives. The relative weights of each criterion are determined based on aggregation of entropy method and decision-maker's preferences during the decision making procedure. The obtained results show that Alternative 9, representing a centralized control method, has been the first-ranked alternative with the score values of 0.845 and 0.854, respectively, based on TPOSIS and SAW methods. Based on demands and expectation of the local water authorities, each of the proposed alternatives can be selected with different levels of satisfaction. According to the results, in the cases that automatic control application is restricted, the improved manual methods would be reasonable operational alternatives.