Researcher | Agricultural Engineering Research Institute | Iran
Dr. Omid Raja is a researcher at the University of Tehran specializing in water resources management, agricultural water management, irrigation and drainage, hydrological modeling, and evapotranspiration processes. His work addresses some of Iran’s most critical water challenges through integrated, science-based approaches that support sustainable water use, agricultural productivity, and basin-scale environmental restoration.Dr. Raja has authored and co-authored more than a dozen scientific publications, collectively accumulating over 135 citations, with an h-index of 4 and i10-index of 2, reflecting the growing influence of his contributions. His research spans remote sensing applications, coupled surface–groundwater modeling, sustainability assessment, and innovative irrigation strategies. Among his most impactful works is the highly cited paper “40-years of Lake Urmia restoration research: Review, synthesis and next steps,” published in Science of the Total Environment, which provides an integrated overview of four decades of scientific and policy efforts aimed at restoring one of the Middle East’s most endangered water bodies. This publication alone has received more than 80 citations, highlighting its significance to both regional and global water sustainability discourse.A key aspect of Dr. Raja’s expertise lies in the calibration and application of hydrological models such as SWAT, MODFLOW, and integrated SWAT-MODFLOW-NWT systems. His research on the Mahabad Plain has advanced understanding of basin water balance, surface–groundwater interactions, and conjunctive water use, offering practical frameworks for regional water management. Additionally, his work on cost-effective strategies for improving crop water productivity and evaluating rainfall zoning supports evidence-based agricultural planning in water-limited environments.Dr. Raja collaborates extensively with leading scientists from the University of Tehran and other national and international institutions, contributing to interdisciplinary efforts that link hydrology, agronomy, and environmental management. His research outputs provide valuable insights for policymakers, water authorities, and agricultural stakeholders, helping guide sustainable water allocation, irrigation modernization, and climate-resilient agricultural development.Through rigorous research, strategic collaborations, and commitment to solving real-world water challenges, Dr. Omid Raja continues to play a meaningful role in advancing sustainable water and agricultural systems within Iran and beyond.
Profile : Googlescholar
Featured Publications
1.Parsinejad, M., Rosenberg, D. E., Ghale, Y. A. G., Khazaei, B., Null, S. E., Raja, O., … (2022). 40-years of Lake Urmia restoration research: Review, synthesis and next steps. Science of the Total Environment, 832, 155055.
Cited By : 84
2.Parsinejad, M., Raja, O., & Chehrenegar, B. (2022). Practical analysis of remote sensing estimations of water use for major crops throughout the Urmia Lake basin. Agricultural Water Management, 260, 107232. Cited By : 13
3.Raja, O., Parsinejad, M., & Tajrishy, M. (2022). Multipurpose calibration of SWAT model in estimating runoff, evapotranspiration, and crop yield (A case study: Mahabad Plain). Iran-Water Resources Research, 17(4), 11–34.
Cited By : 6
4.Raja, O., Parsinejad, M., Sohrabi, T., & Ahmadaali, K. (2019). Status investigation of the Marvdasht–Kharameh water resources using sustainability analysis indicators. Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research, 50(4), 897–909. Cited By : 6
5.Raja, O., & Parsinejad, M. (2023). Cost-effective strategies to improve crop water productivity—Case study: Bakhtegan and Maharloo, Iran. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 20(1), 883–894. Cited By: 4