Irrigation System

During late nineteenth century, Khuzistan was considered to be the most fertile land of Persia which at one time had yielded $ 50 million if calculated on 1962 price index. Many British officials presented in Iran and India office have recorded the abundance of water through a network of five rivers and canals, making Khuzistan a fertile ground for major staple and cash crops. At the time when the general populace was affected by the famine, Khuzistan stood unaffected. But thoroughly and gradually Khuzistan had faced deplorable condition owing to the British policy and power struggle. With the opening of the Karun River, the British influence had reached to the extent that they started interfering in the appointment of governors and granting of Khuzistan developmental projects to French, Dutch or Germans. The present article highlights the increasing influence of British in the political and economic affairs of Iran especially Khuzistan which was considered to be the 'second Egypt' next to Seistan. They had even assisted by the principle Arabs and Bakhtiaris tribes of Khuzistan as well as the influential trading and commercial figures to sabotage the irriga-tion project which could hamper the water flow to Karun River, a back bone for their commercial interest. In the first quarter of 20th century the British policy in Khuzistan proved detrimental to their vested interest.

In a wide range of the central boundaries of the Iranian plateau, encompassing an important part of the arid areas in Asia, the phenomenon of desertification is a long his tory. In this arid and waterless expanse, living conditions are fully dependent on access to water due to the supremacy of the Kavirs and deserts. The most important and oldest ways of obtaining water have been Qanat or Kariz (underground water canal). Here, we show that Qanat is one of the most important environmental sustainable tools in the local-regional environments of the Iranian plateau. Qanat improves the unfavorable conditions of the earth and the natural bed of the region along with its path and helps the ecological duration of the environment. At the end of its path, in the place of its rising (emergence), Qanat is regarded as one of the most original factors in shaping, formating, and duration of microclimates. However, in view of the dependency on the biological, economic and occupational (vocational) activities, the presence of Qanat and its entry to the boundary of the flourishing conditions affect the durable formation and shaping social and economic activities in its habitats along with the preparation of the groundwork for durable ecological aspects. As a result, by collecting and classifying library documents through a qualitative analysis, this study tries to present solutions concerning the sustainable use of Qanat at present and in future through the emphasis on the effect of Qanat on various ecological and social aspects of its surrounding environment and the necessity of preservation and revival of this important human innovation as a historical heritage.