Lack of water in Iran is one of the factors that threaten sustainable development in the coming years. Based on this, an attempt was made to draw a road map for managing water consumption in the agricultural system with emphasis on sustainable development with a mixed approach. Interviewees in the qualitative stage where the database method was used, 20people from management professors, managers of agricultural jihad and water sector activists in Ardabil province, who were selected by targeted sampling methods with chain referral method (snowball method). In the quantitative part, according to Morgan's table, 242people were studied based on stratified random sampling method. The obtained data were organized in the form of 73open codes, 37concepts, 8categories and 6classes based on a systematic approach after the process of open, central and selective coding and using MaxQDA. Based on of the output of the Smatr PLS, coordination between government organizations and people's organizations in water resources management; early warning system for water infrastructure; Irrigation time management; Implementation of justice in access to agricultural water for all farmers as well as changing the public's attitude towards water were identified as the most effective indicators in the model. Based on the results of the research, changing the cultivation pattern, managing the irrigation time, controlling the extraction level from underground water, using new technologies and also applying incentive and punishment policies are some of the suggestions that can be made in relation to the management of water consumption in the agricultural system.