Assessing the health and security of natural ecosystems is unavoidable to regulate and manage deterioration and prioritize management and conservation activities. As a result, the current study was conducted to assess the health and ecological security of the Galazchai Watershed in Oshnavieh Township, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran, utilizing criteria linked to various hydrologic, anthropogenic, and climatic aspects. In the conceptual pressure–state–response (PSR) method, 26 criteria with acceptable variance inflation factor and Durbin–Watson statistics were chosen. The Galazchai Watershed's ecology's health and security status and spatial differences were also chosen and analyzed at 17 subwatersheds. The contributions of the pressure (P), status (S), and reaction (R) indices to the watershed health index were 38.3, 30.1, and 31.6%, respectively, according to the findings. The health index for the watershed ranged from 0.388 to 0.688. Almost 64% of the watershed's area was in relatively healthy conditions. Additionally, the maximum and the minimum values of the ecological security index were 0.608 and 0.236, allocating 58% of the area to moderate ecological security. The northern part of the watershed had healthier and moderately desirable ecological security than the southern part, with unhealthy and relatively undesirable conditions. In this sense, the main problems of the study area were primarily related to anthropogenic factors followed by hydrologic ones. The procedure used in the current study based on health and ecological security status can be applied as a practical guideline by local managers for efficient and adaptive watershed management.

The network relations of Qanat stakeholders in Iran as an ancient type of water-supply system were considered with the aim of clarifying the societal transformation through revitalizing power dynamics. The present network was highlighted by the interaction of three groups of new actors with the greatest social power: 1. those capable of developing trust and participation ties, 2. those with high control power and high mediation who link small family groups and play a role in empowering individuals, and 3. those who have high fame and are key players by leading thoughts and resolving conflicts. Meanwhile, Boolean Combination Index confirms the increase of various quantitative indicators, such as higher reciprocity and transitivity of relationships and shorter geodetic and diameter index. This study concluded that the revival of power relations in a social-ecological system can be effective in changing the social structure based on the recognition of internal social capitals.