Karez: An indigenous system for Water Cooperation and Management

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Messages
Water cooperation is key to socioeconomic development, poverty eradication, social equity, gender equality and environmental sustainability. Water cooperation creates tangible economic benefits. Water cooperation is crucial to preserve water resources, ensure their sustainability and protect the environment
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Facts and Figures ( World)

Increasing Demand: i. 85% of the population lives in driest part. ii. 783 million people with access to WASH. iii. Increase in food demand of 70% by 2050. iv. Water Demand for Agriculture increase ~19% by 2050. v. Agriculture Water consumption already 7090%.

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Land use in Pakistan

CATEGORY AREA (MA)

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA AREA SUITABLE FOR AGRICULTURE CULTIVATED AREA (IRRIGATED + BARANI) AREA UNDER IRRIGATION (BY ALL SOURCES) ADDITIONAL AREA THAT CAN BE BROUGHT UNDER IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE
SOURCE: AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS OF PAKISTAN 2007-08

196.7 74.6

DISPUTED TERRITORY

54.5
47.0 20.1

LEGEND MOUNTAINS DESERTS AREA UNDER IRRIGATION AREA THAT CAN BE BROUGHT UNDER IRRIGATION

ARABIAN SEA

Sindh Punjab KPK Baloch. TOTAL

3.4 MA 3.8 MA 3.0 MA 9.9 MA 20.1 MA

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Water availability in Pakistan

Surface Water Ground Water:

154.88 MAF

Total Area 39.5 Million Acres Saline 24.7 Million Acres Fresh Water 14.8 Million Acres Total Quantity Available 59 MAF Present Extraction 50 MAF Balance 9 MAF (economic limit For better water management, 40% of total water availability is required for storage, Pakistans storage capacity is only about 7% of total available water.

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Water Availability (Avg 1976-2009) 138.70 MAF Water Requirement for the Country with reference to Accord 1991 (117 MAF)

Water potential & requirments

Average Water Availability 2000 2010 105 MAF (Currently Pakistan is suffering from water shortage cycle)

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Water situation in Pakistan

Water Availability in 19580s was 5260 Cum In 2010 this has plummeted by 406% to 1038 Cum Projected Decline 877 Cum by 2020 well below WHO threshold of 1000 Cum Water Use Efficiency is only 30-35% In Pakistan 90% water is used for Irrigation.

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Balochistan

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Water resources of the province

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Ground water situation

S. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 River Basin Hamun-e-Lora Kachhi Nari Pishin Lora Porali Hab Windar Nai Zhob Dasht Available Water (MCM) 33.9 37.8 25.6 129.6 149.1 119.4 10.9 111.7 45.5 Extracted (MCM) 16.84 11.9 25.6 129.6 74.6 59.6 5.2 102.4 8.9 Balance Available (MCM) 17.06 25.9 0 0 74.5 59.8 5.7 9.3 36.6

10
11 12 13 14

Rakhshan
Hamun-e-Mashkhel Hingol Gaj Mula Total

24
61 265 34 23 1070.5

4.4
4.7 132.7 18 9 603.44

19.6
56.3 132.3 16 14 467.06

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Karez Irrigation System

Watershed Atlas of Afghanistan UNFAO-2004

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Nomenclature
Nomenclature Qanat ( Chain of wells) Karez/Kariz Language Arabic Persian Countries Iran, Syria and Jordan Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia

Khettara
Galeria Falaj Foggara

Moroccan
Spanish Arabic African

Morocco
Spain UAE, Oman North Africa UNESCO

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Definitions of Karez
A Karez is a horizontal tunnel that taps underground water in an Alluvial Fan without pumps or equipment, and brings it to surface so that the water can be used ( National Academy of Sciences 1974 Germany) A form for subterranean aqueduct-or subsurface canal engineered to collect ground water and direct it through a gently sloping underground conduit to surface canals which provide water to agricultural fields. ( Lightfoot 1996. UNESCO).
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History of Qanat/Karez
According to French Sociologist Goblot Edmond the innovation of Qanats ( Karez) took place in the western north of the present Iran and then was introduced to the neighboring area that was Zagros Mountains. ( Net sources) Sargon II the King of Assyria (714 BEC) invaded Armenia, he saw an irrigation system not yet known in Bet-Nahrain, called by its Arabic name qanat or the Farsi Karez. He brought the secret back to Assyria. (Internet Sources)
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Qanat/ karez technology diffusion (NS)

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Global distribution
Asia
Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, UAE, Bahrain, Turkey, China, Syria, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Palestine, Cambodia, India and Yemen. Algeria, Tunisia, Sahara, Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Germany, England, Spain, Czech Republic, Cyprus and France. Peru, Chile, Mexico UNESCO
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Europe & Africa

Americas

Structural types of karez

From Structural Point of View Karezs can be divided into three main types: 1- Mountain Type: These are simple Karezs that uses water resources from mountainous regions ( Mountainfront, gorges, proximal-fan Karez) 2- Plain Type-A: These karezs branch out from side of rivers and draw sub-soil waters. 3- Plain Type-B These karezs use water recourses from alluvial megafans ( Medial to Distal-Fan Karezs); constructed in alluvial mega fans.
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Water source typology

Accordingly to water source the karezs can be categorized into 4 types. 1. Alluvial Fan-Piedmont Karez 2. Infiltration gallery karez 3. Rain-fed Karez 4. Spring Karez.

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Advantages of Karezs
1. Require no power source other than gravity to maintain flow. 2. Water can be moved substantial distances in these subterranean conduits with minimal evaporation losses and little danger of pollution. 3.the flow of water in Karez is proportionate to the available supply in the aquifer, and, if properly maintained, these infiltration channels provide a dependable supply of water for centuries. ( Karez provide water proportionally to the specific yield of aquifer)
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Challenges
Require regular maintenance and heavy cost of maintenance, ( Karez Kash) Discharge is fluctuating, easily effected by climate change. The command area cannot increase due to social and technical limitations. Heavy Water losses in the Karez tunnel.

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Sustainability of Karez/Qanat
Long-term maintenance of a viable water management system which depends on eliminating, activities that harm the ecological integrity of the system and the catchment area; as well as the viability of social mechanisms that allows the system to function, without compromising the prominent historical and cultural values of the system. (UNESCO-UNEP)

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Karezs are means of sustainability

Technically Environmentally Institutionally/legally Socio-economically
Economy

Quality of Life

Ecology

Society UNESCO

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Current state of karezs in Pakistan

Generally, Karez are being abandoned and/or dried up. IN Balochistan there were more than 3000 Karez, however, data for only 1167 app: karezs is available, most of which are abandoned now or at the verge of drying up.

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Karezs database
S.No Districts No of Kareezs Total Discharge Total Command Area

1 Kachhi 2 Khuzdar 3 Loralai 4 Ziarat 5 Awaran 6 Quetta 7 Turbat 8 Zob 9 Pashin 10 Qila Abdullah 11 Qila Saifullah 12 Chagi 13 Panjgoor 14 Mastung 15 Kohlu 16 Kalat 17 Kharan Total

17 18 50 67 30 15 138 70 123 243 122 56 188 15 9 2 13 1176

30.75 85.70 98.00 42.85 9.70 252.00 62.90 58.29 106.56 88.85 19.50 339.20 13.13 8.50 1.00 7.50 1,224.43

3360 7936 9,420.00 19063 600 26485 6895 8125 8912 23039 2210 35182 388 637 530 611 113,614.00

I&P Department Balochistan INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE

Reasons for abandonment/decline

Environmental Drought Groundwater Recession Human Induced Installation of Tube-wells and overpumping of the aquifer Population growth

Floods; ( deforestation, overgrazing)

Geological anomaly Earthquakes

Migration, abandonment
Lack of Traditional knowledge Lack of Technology Un-planned infrastructure Development War

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Restoring Karezs: What are we Sustaining?.

A traditional-historical ingenious technological heritage Agrarian productivity. A dependable water delivery system. A decent life for the people who depend on Karezs that allows them to prosper and meet their aspiration The ability of local people to overcome droughts and economic stress and to pursue and fulfill their human potential. Ground Water Management of a region as a part of national development goal. Power saving. The best Example of Water Cooperation reached at after generations of evolution.

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Rehabilitation of Iskan Khan Karez

Rehabilitation of Main Channel Cleaning of Mother Wells/ Infiltration Galleries Construction of Water Storage Tanks Construction of Eye-brows for soil and water conservation. Establishment of nursery Etc.

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Returns of QIK Project

Crops cultivated Wheat Tomatoes Green Pepper Brinjal Lady Finger Grapes Apple Apricot Carrot Onion Turnip TOTAL Quantity produced in kgs 2010 23,000 Nil Nil Nil Nil 40,000 NIL NIL NIL NIL NIL 63,000 2012 145,220 206,010 24,000 67,500 5,320 55,000 18,400 4,320 74,000 22,000 2,700 485,770 60,000 6,770 394,670 2011 79,400 71,300 40,600 53,500 18,100 65,000 Rate per Kg 2012 28 30 33 30 70 55 40 30 2011 28 30 50 35 60 55 20 30 30 Total Income 2012 4,066,160 6,180,300 792,000 2,025,000 372,400 3,025,000 736,000 129,600 1,480,000 660,000 81,000 19,547,460 2011 2,223,200 2,139,000 2,030,000 1,872,500 1,086,000 3,575,000 1,200,000 203,100 14,328,800

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Rehabilitation of Saro Karez, Tangian Ziarat.

Plan Duration = 4 months. Total Budget = Rs. 6.2 Million including Rs.1.4 Million Community Share. Project Financing = WANI and BPSD ( Balochistan
Program for Sustainable Development)

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Returns Saro Karez

Crops Cultivated Apple Tomato Potato Pea Apricot Onion Total

Quantity Produced in Kgs Rate per Kg Total Income (PKR) Production before intervention 360,000 50 18,000,000 276800 86,400 30 2,592,000 45000 94,500 25 3,500,000 48000 21,750 70 2,362,500 Nil 5,000 30 150,000 2800 50,000 30 1,500,000 Nil 617,650 28,104,500

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Mother well at Saro Karez

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Shaft (Saro Karez)

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PVC Pipe being installed in Karez Adit/Tunnel

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PVC pipe installed in Karez Adit/Tunnel

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PVC pipe Installed in Adit ( Saro Karez Shaft)

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PVC pipe Installed in Adit ( Saro Karez Shaft)

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Daylight point (Saro Karez)

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Rehmatullah Karez

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Karez Adit/Tunnel ( Rehmatullah Karez)

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Karez Adit/Tunnel ( Rehmatullah Karez)

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PVC line Rehmatullah Karez

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Thank You

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