Kariz (Qanat or Roman Aqueduct) is an old knowledge that has been used in more than 35 countries. Kariz, previously recognized as a water management technology, involves horizontal subsurface galleries and vertical monitoring shafts, which works based on natural gravity force. This paper reviews various geoengineering and environmental impacts studies that have been carried out on Kariz networks during recent decades.
Other emerging impacts of Kariz systems as an environmentally-friendly technology, its impacts on tourism attraction, land subsidence, and water management have been explored here. Due to modern lifestyle and demand for clean water as a result of population growth, especially in semi-arid or arid climates, this review study aims to explore the important role of Kariz system as a sustainable way of underground water management.
Ebrahim Abad Kariz is located in Ebrahim Abad village in Moshk Abad, Arak, Markazi province which registered on Iran UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the name of The Persian Karizes.
It is the first historical and cultural heritage of Markazi province that has been registered in UNESCO. Ebrahim Abad Kariz has generated from Haftad Gholleh Mountains (Seventy Peaks) like a long east west series and continues to inside Ebrahim Abad. It had been formed into Marni and Shulati tissues and reach its end with a gentle slope. The first KAriz well that its mother well had been recognized was in an area known as Sareza behind the cemetery in Haftad Golleh zone.
Ebrahim Abad Kariz has the main strain and 2 sub-strands that are locally called Rona and Qoshd. The main strain has 311 branches and Rona and Qoshd have 15 and 22 wells respectively. In distance of 800m, a strain called Rona joins to the main strain. Rona, also called Damaghe Ranha, generates from a small mountain at the beginning of Chekab in Haftad Golleh area, which is called Damaghe Khuni Mountain. Residents says that this strain has cool water that is joined to Ebrahim Abad Kariz. In general, the total well bars of this strain do not exceed 15 wells.
In total, Ebrahim Abad Kariz produces the water for approximately 100 hectares of Ebrahim Abad villages periodically. Still, in the present day, this Kariz was built with native Iranian indigenous knowledge, plays an important role in supplying the water needed for farmers' lands and even residents drinking. It continues its survival as a valuable historical element. The 11 Km extension of this Kariz from the mother well to the formation of a rural settlement has led to the formation of some villages with some water-dependent elements such as water storage, baths and a unique water system which is representative of Iranian ancestors' water management and agriculture engineering and also their futurism.
To read more:
(1) A project on Environmental and Engineering aspects of Kariz & Roman Aqueducts.
