'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎90v] (185/610)

In Caspian
Provinces.
In Plateau
section.
Quantity
to different
localities.
Source of
S ly and
ty. '
In the Caspian provinces the Northern slopes of the Elburz
give rise to innumerable springs and streams. The supply is
everywhere abundant, but in the lowlands, especially in summer,
its quality is often bad, as springs are scarce and water is drawn
from slow flowing and polluted streams and irrigation ditches,
or from wells, the quality of which varies in different localities.
As already mentioned the water supply depends mainly on
the snowfall, and is most abundant where the accumulation of
snow on high mountains maintains perennial springs. For
irrigation the supply is never surplus, but for drinking purposes
in the vicinity of the Elburz it is sufficient.
Drinking water is scarce in sections *2 and *4 of the Kizil
Uzun valley, i.e., from Yangijeh to Qaplan Kuh bridge, and
through Tamm, where springs are very few and in the former
brackish. The Kizil Uzun is always brackish, and during the
flood season very muddy, but it is drunk at some villages for
lack of any other supply.
In many parts of Khamseh springs are few and small but of
good quality. Districts in the South of the area, e.g.. South
of Tehran, Saveh and of the Kharagan hills are lowlying
‘‘ qishlaq ” adjacent to the salt desert, and consequently worst
supplied with water.
The water of the Hablehrud, Jajarud and Karaj becomes
brackish on leaving the hills, and the districts of Khar,Varamin
and Shahryar have no good drinking water.
The supply is taken from open streams or brought from the
hills in “ Qanats,” subterranean aqueducts constructed by
sinking vertical shafts and connecting these with one another by
underground tunnelling. Some “qanats” are 15 miles long
and 400' to 500' deep at their origin, and their course across the
plains is marked by circular mounds of earth heaped around the
open vertical shafts. They require annual clearing by highly
paidf professionals, who work in gangs of 6 to 8 men. If, as
is frequently the case especially when left as religious endow
ments in charge of Mujtahids, “qanats” are neglected they
speedily become choked. The expense of their upkeep is so
great that the substitution of metal piping or bricked in channels
would probably soon prove an economy. New “ qanats” are
nowadays seldom, if ever, constructed, partly no doubt owing
to the general inertia and retrograde state of the country, but
also owing to the increase in wages which would make the cost
prohibitive.
* See pages 103-4 and 105-6.
t “ Moqanni.” The daily wage per man averages 10 lirans.