analysis of factors affecting on water users associations :union: members’ attitude toward development of associations responsibilities (case study: downstream zone of doroodzan dam in fars)

nowadays, many governments have found that the main cause of water crises in agricultural sector related to neglecting farmers’ role in irrigation and drainage networks management. water users association has been considered in order to transferring irrigation management to local beneficiaries. if farmers' opinion toward such transferring don't be investigated, it may lead to failure. therefore, analysis of factors affecting on water users associations :union: members’ attitude toward development responsibilities in doroodzan district (ordibehesht canal) was the main objective of this study. quantitative method was used as research method by using survey technique and questionnaire. 245 of water users associations members were selected as sample group by using simple random sampling method. findings revealed that through the four factor groups (individual-attitudinal, social, farming-situational, and economic), household size, attitude toward regional water organization and local water utilization company, attitudes toward fair relationships in the association, background of membership in the association, level of education, level of participation in social activities, level of participation in association activities, respect to ethical principles among members of the association, amount of canal water usage, kind of association, kind of crops and cultivation area of summertime crops were significant relationship with attitude toward development of water users associations responsibilities. the results of multiple regression analysis revealed that three variables (attitude toward fair relationships in the association, attitude toward regional water organization and local water utilization company, and amount of canal water usage) could predict about 36 percent changes of attitude toward development of water users association responsibilities. some executive recommendations presented to augment members’ attitude toward development responsibilities of water users associations at the end of the article.