This book tries to answer the question how different communities in such an arid area as the Iranian central plateau could have shared their limited water resources in a perfect harmony and peace over the course of history. They invented some indigenous technologies as well as cooperative socio-economic systems in order to better adapt themselves to their harsh environment where the scarce water resources had to be rationed among the different communities as sustainably as possible. Those stories hold some lessons for us on how to adjust our needs to our geographical possibilities while living side by side with other people. This work gives insight into the indigenous adaptation strategies through the territorial water cooperation, and describes how water can appear as a ground for cooperation. It explains the water supply systems and social aspects of water in central Iran. Topics include the territorial water cooperation, qanat's, the traditional water management and sustainability, the socio-economic context, the sustainable management of shared aquifers system and more.

Autorentext

Majid Labbaf Khaneiki, UNESCO-ICQHS (International Center on Qanats and Historic Hydraulic Structures), Yazd, Iran 

Inhalt

Chapter 1: Introduction****

1.1 Territory

1.2 Territorial Water cooperation

1.3 Proto-industrialization and drought pump

1.4 Water as a geographical possibility

Chapter 2: Water Supply Systems in Central Iran 2.1 Qanat system as a collective response to climate change 2.2 Genesis of Qanat 2.3 Impact of climate change on qanat evolution 2.4 Climate change in central plateau of Iran 2.5 Qanat as a technique to adapt to climate change 2.6 Qanat in comparison with other hydraulic structures

2.7 History of water management in Iran 2.8 Traditional water division systems 2.9 Irrigation cycle or Madar 2.10 Water division units  2.11 Traditional water division in river systems

2.12 Traditional water management and sustainability

Chapter 3: Social Aspects of Water in Central Iran

3.1 Qanat as a cooperative water supply system 3.2 Cooperation in construction-maintenance of qanat 3.3 Cooperation in the qanat's operation

3.4 Cooperation in the transfer of qanat knowledge

3.5 Cooperation in water division

3.6 Water cooperation in the cultural Landscape of the village of Meymand

3.7 Irrigated agriculture in relation to the other economic units in Meymand

3.8 Qanat and its position in the cultural landscape of Meymand

3.9 Domestic water supply in Meymand

3.10 Water division system in Meymand

3.11 Impact of climate change on agricultural livelihood in Meymand

Chapter 4- Cain and Abel in the Heaven of Water Cooperation 4.1 Geographical outline and local conditions of Abarkooh basin 4.2 Human habitation in Abarkooh basin and uneven distribution of vital resources

4.3 Climate change and its impact on the shared water resources in Abarkooh basin

4.4 Utilization of the shared water resources before and after the land reform 4.5 Shared groundwater resource in the local socio-economic context  

Chapter 5- Cooperation in Lieu of Water

5.1 History of Hasan Abad qanat

5.2 Water division and management system of Hasan Abad qanat

5.3 Land and water ownership

5.4 Role of qanat management organization in transboundary cooperation

5.5 Operation and economic aspect of Hasan Abad qanat 5.6 Qanat of Hasan Abad in the context of modernity; positive and negative impacts 5.7 Cultural landscape of the qanat of Hasan Abad

Chapter 6 Conclusion 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Sustainable management of shared aquifers in the model of livelihood differentiation

6.3 Sustainability and resilience in the model of common benefit