Iranian Historical Water Structures,Lessons Learned

I.R.Iran is one of the biggest countries of the Middle East which its area is more than 1.6 million Km2 and its population estimates more than 75 million peoples. Annual average of precipitation is near 250 mm which is about one third of annual average of the world. Distribution of precipitation is not equivalent in country and causes problems for supplying water in various regions especially in populated municipals. The climate condition has been constant in most of Iran and Iran is known as a dried or semi-dried country. Because of Iran climatology conditions, Iranians have adapted themselves with deficiency of water in all of the country and invented new methods and structures for accessing to water resources, surface and ground water, since thousands years ago.Iranian Ancient water works are wonderful from various types and dimensional views. Sika water falls and Mizan Dam in Shoushtar, Choghazanbil and the first water treatment in the world in Hafttapeh, ancient water works of Perspolic and Estakhr intakes and dam, Darius Dam downstream of Droodzan Dam, Amir Dam, Bahman Dam and so many other water structures all around Iran show the great Iranian engineering knowledge and techniques about 3000 years ago. The aforementioned water structures show not only the techniques and knowledge of Iranian engineers, but also a great view for managing water resources structures in Iran.In this paper, some of ancient Iran's water Structures introduced and a brief review of their characteristics and their role in water management presented

Iranian Historical Water Structures,Lessons Learned Keywords:

ancient dams , water Structures , water management