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'A note on communications and irrigation in the Persian province of Arabistan' [‎5r] (14/34)

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The record is made up of 1 volume (13 folios). It was created in 1917. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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3
8. The river begins to rise about the middle of November, and to fall from the
middle or end of April. The maximum flood discharge at Ahrvaz is 212,000
cusecs, and the minimum discharge 4,600 cusecs ; whilst the difference between
maximum flood level and minimum low-water is 26 feet below the Ahwaz rapids,
and 20'4 feet above the rapids.
IRRIGATION.
9. The remains of ancient irrigation works are to be found in many parts of the
province, and schemes have been discussed for the restoration of the headworks at
Shushter and Ahwaz. These projects I will briefly describe.
Shisshtef.
As stated in the description of the Karun river, there is a bifurcation above
Shushter where the river divides into two streams, the Ab-i-Gargar and the Ab-i-
Shatait.
The Ab-i-Gargar is, in part, an artificial channel cut through sandstone cliffs
a hundred feet high, and where it takes off from the Karun a weir with crest about
low-water level was constructed, in the reign of Shapur, having 6 sluices for the
passage of water. Half a mile below this weir is a massive dam called the Pul-i-
Bulaiti extending up to above high-water level and surmounted by a good roadway,
which carries the road from Shuster to all places east of it. At each side of the
dam are bye-passes through which water is conveyed to drive water-wheels for flour
mills below the dam. Of these, there were, on the occasion of my visit, 30 in
working order, and although the wheels themselves are extraordinarily primitive
they seemed to answer their purpose. It is said that if modern turbines were
installed, there would be sufficient water-power to work all the machinery at the
oil-fields, and to light by electricity the town of Shushter in addition to grinding its
corn.
The Ab-i-Shatait was the old Karun before the Ab-i-Gargar was cut, and
immediately below the castle the Minau canal takes off and in olden times irrigated
a great part of the island between the Ab-i-Gargar and the Ab-i-Shatait. A little
distance below this canal are the remains of a combined bridge and weir called the
Bund-i-Mizan in respect to the weir, and the Pul-i-Dizful in respect to the bridge,
but commonly known as Valerian’s bridge owing to a legend that it was built by
the Emperor Valerian when a prisoner in the hands of the Persians. The
dam was originally 9 feet above low-water and the bridge was 570 yards long
with 41 arches, the whole forming a magnificent engineering work ; the dam seems
to have given constant trouble, as the records shew that it was repaired in 1310 and
1840 : the last attempt, in 1889, was unsuccessful, and now there is a gap about
200 feet in breadth, whilst very deep holes have been scoured in the river bed in the
vicinity.
Since the breach, the Minau canal has naturally fallen into disuse, as the raison
d'etre of the dam was undoubtedly to force water down the canal, and the cultiva
tion of the rich lands between the Ab-i-Gargar and the Shatait has practically
ceased.
For further details of these most interesting works, I invite a refer
ence to Lord Curzon’s t£ Persia,” wherein they are most graphically described
and the question is argued as to the order in which the various works were con
structed.

About this item

Content

This note on communications and irrigation in Arabistan was written by Sir George Cunningham Buchanan and was printed in Simla at the Government Monotype Press. The information in the note is divided using sub-headings which include:

  • general description
  • communications
  • the Karun River
  • irrigation (in Shushter and Ahwaz)
  • navigation
  • proposals for improved communications

Folios 8-9 contain photo illustrations of the Karun River and Ahwaz Rapids.

Four maps are enclosed at the back of the file (folios 11-14).

The file was previously marked confidential.

Extent and format
1 volume (13 folios)
Arrangement

The information in the file is arranged by subject.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 15; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: the volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence between ff 4-7.

Written in
English in Latin script
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'A note on communications and irrigation in the Persian province of Arabistan' [‎5r] (14/34), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/15, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100043707877.0x00000f> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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