provision of a novel and integrated model to assess regional drought risk

the purpose followed in this study was to utilize the modern model method of spatial multi-attribute decision making (madm) to provide a comprehensive model for priority classification of vulnerable to drought area in the basin of gavkhouni. the main preference of this method over other methods is that in addition to making use of the geographical data the judgment of decision makers is also made use of at the various levels of decision-making. based upon the aim followed in the study, the criteria and sub-criteria were defined and weighted through ahp technique. later, geographical data, in the framework of gis based layers were standardized, consolidated together, and then the criteria maps produced. results indicated that through this structure, one is able to simultaneously make several drought indicators, along with the variables affected by drought, as well as the knowledge of the experts (from different angles) plus the view points of the individuals who actually have touched upon the phenomenon of drought involved in the assessment of the drought.