Qanat as a System of Water Resources Management in Iran

摘要

Iran is located in arid and semi-arid zone. Water deficit and need of water resources for different uses have caused ancient Iranian to discover a technique called Qanat about 3000 years ago. There was more than 40,000 Qanat, but nowadays 32,000 of them are active and the others have been abandoned. About 77.7% of active Qanat are located in the eastern half of Iran, having low rainfall, less than 300 mm per year. Although discovering of Qanat at the beginning was due to human needs of water for drinking and irrigation, it has developed mostly. In this study we discussed different usages of Qanat as a special system for water resources management. Some of Qanat’s significant usages are drainage of over groundwater, artificial recharge of groundwater and preventing of urban flooding