Feasibility of utilizing recycled drainage water in agriculture using an analytical network process (ANP) and geographic information system (GIS)

Utilizing unconventional water for sustainable agriculture is a multi-criteria process. Decision-making in such problems is based on finding the value of various criteria using advanced methods, for example the analytic network process (ANP). ANP is usually preferred in cases where the criteria are not independent and have intra-/intergroup relationships. Considering techno-economic and environmental criteria, the ANP structure was used in this study to investigate the feasibility of utilizing Chapaghli drainage water in western Golestan Province, Iran, for cultivating tolerant and semi-tolerant crops, including canola, barley, cotton and wheat, using GIS software. Irrigation water availability, techno-economic distance and land suitability for cultivation were selected as techno-economic criteria, while irrigation water quality, soil, plant sensitivity and aquifer vulnerability were selected as environmental criteria. The results show that canola is the best crop for cultivation with Chapaghli drainage water. This study provides a reliable decision-making infrastructure related to the recycling of drainage water for various cultivars in an area where environmental hazards are minimized.