WATER SUPPLY BY QANATS. A CONTRIBUTION TO WATER SHORTAGE IN MEDITERRANEAN AREAS?

摘要

One of the historically most remarkable technologies of water supply are qanats. They re gently sloping, artificially built subsurface channels, which lead groundwater from the argins of the mountains to the area where water is needed, sometimes many kilometers way. From Persia - which may be addressed as the homeland of qanats - the systems spread owards Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula. East of Iran qanats expanded towards fghanistan, Pakistan and along the Silk Road oases to China.Research about antiquity in Europe provided evidence about Roman application of qanat ecnology. Within the European Mediterranean region qanats are known from Spain, Italy, roatia and Greece. The can even be traced to central Europe, to the northern borders of he Roman Empire. The growing water consumption as well the warming of climate within the Mediterranean ises the question about future water use and water resources. In the past (and still in resent) the overuse of water in the Mediterranean countries has led to a significant ecrease of groundwater and in many areas to a severe drop of lake levels. A future ustainable use of water in order to save vanishing water resources will be an absolute ecessity.The active qanats in Europe support the opinion that these systems undoubtedly have he potential to contribute to local or even to regional water supply and to stimulate ustainable water use.