Zayandeh River

Infobox_River | river_name = Zayandeh River


caption = Zayandeh River inside Isfahan.
origin = Zagros Mountains
mouth = Gavkhouni
basin_countries = Iran
length = convert|400|km|mi|0|abbr=on
elevation = convert|3974|m|ft|0|abbr=on
mouth_elevation = convert|1466|m|ft|0|abbr=on
discharge = 38 m³/s (1,342 cu ft/s)
watershed = convert|41500|km2|sqmi|-1|abbr=on .

The Zayandeh starts in the Zagros Mountains and travels Convert|400|km|mi|-2 eastward before ending in the Gavkhouni swamp, a seasonal salt lake, southeast of Esfahan city. The Zayandeh has significant flow all year long, unlike many of Iran's rivers which are seasonal. The Zayandeh is spanned by many historical Safavid era bridges, and flows through many parks.

The Zayandeh River basin has an area of Convert|41500|km2|sqmi|-2, altitude from Convert|3974|m|ft|0 to Convert|1466|m|ft|0, an average rain fall of Convert|130|mm|in|0 and a monthly average temperature of Convert|3|C|F|0 to Convert|29|C|F|0. There are Convert|2700|km2|sqmi|-2 of irrigated land in the Zayandeh River basin, with water derived from the nine main hydraulic units of the Zayandeh River, wells, qanat and springs in lateral valleys. Zayandeh River water gives life to the people of central Iran mainly in Isfahan and Yazd provinces. Water diverted per person is 240 litres (63 US gallons/53 imp gallons) per day in urban and 150 litres (40 US gallons/33 imp gallons) per day in villages [ [http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/assessment/FILES/word/ProjectDocuments/BasinFactSheets/Zayandeh%20Rud%20Basin%20short%20profile.pdf "Zayandeh River Basin Short Profile" International Water Management Institute, Sri Lanka] ] . The flow of the river has been estimated at Convert|1.2|km3|cumi|1.2|1 per annum, or convert|38|m3|cuft|-1| per second.Beaumont, Peter (October 1974) "Water Resource Development in Iran" "The Geographical Journal" 140(3): pp. 418-431, p. 427]

History

People have lived on the banks of Zayandeh River for thousands of years. An ancient pre-historic culture, the Zayandeh River Civilization, flourished along banks of this river in the 5th Millennium BC.

Zayandeh River crosses the city of Esfahan, a major cultural and economic center of Iran. In the 17th century, Shaikh Bahai (an influential scholar and adviser to Safavid dynasty), designed and built a system of canals ("maadi"), to distribute Zayandeh River water to Esfahan's suburbs. Water from the Zayandeh River helped the growth of the population and the economy, helped established Esfahan as an influential center, and gave a green landscape to Esfahan, a city in the middle of a desert.

Arthur Pope (an American archaeologist and historian of Persian art) and his wife Phyllis Ackerman are buried in a small tomb in pleasant surroundings in its banks. Richard Frye (an American scholar of Iranian and Central Asian Studies) has also requested to be buried there. [ [http://www.payvand.com/news/05/apr/1127.html Staff (18 April 2005) "American Iranologist Wills wants to be Buried in Isfahan, Iran" "Cultural Heritage News Agency" Iran] ]

Water use and division

Until the 1960s in Isfahan Province the distribution of water followed the "Tomar", a document claimed to date from the 16th Century. The "Tomar" divided the flow of the Zayandeh River into 33 parts which were then specifically allotted to the eight major districts within the region.Beaumont, Peter (October 1974) "Water Resource Development in Iran" "The Geographical Journal" 140(3): pp. 418-431, p. 421] At the district level the water flow was divided either on a time basis, or by the use of variable weirs, so that the proportion could be maintained regardless of the height of the flow.

For centuries Esfahan city had been an oasis settlement, noted for its surrounding fertile lands and prosperity. Until the 1960s industrial demand for water were minimal, which enabled the scarce water resources to be utilized entirely for agricultural production. With a growing population within the basin, and rising standards of living particularly within the city, the pressure on water resources steadily increased until the division of water "Tomar" was no longer feasible. The creation of large steel works and other new industries demanded water.

The Chadegan Reservoir dam project in 1972 was a major hydroelectric project to help with stabilizing water flow and to provide generation of electricity. The dam was initially named Shah Abbas Dam after Shah Abbas I, the most influential king of the Safavid dynasty, but it was changed to Zayandeh Dam after the Islamic revolution in 1979. Since 1972, the Chadegan Reservoir has helped prevent seasonal flooding of the Zayandeh River.

80% of Zayandeh River water is consumed for agriculture, 10% for human consumption (drinking and domestic needs of a population of 4.5 million), 7% for industry (like the Zobahan-e-Esfahan and Foolad Mobarekeh steel companies and Isfahan's petrochemical, refinery and power plants) and 3% for other uses. There have been a number of tunnel projects (Koohrang) to redirect water from the Karun river (Iran's largest river that also starts in the Zagros Mountains), to the Zayandeh. These have helped provide water for the growing population and new industries in both Isfahan and Yazd provinces.

Bridges

There are several new and old bridges ("pol") over the Zayandeh River. The oldest, Shahrestan, built in 5th century AD, continues to be used today for pedestrian crossing in Sharestan village.

Bridges on Zayandeh River in Esfahan:

Recreation

In the section of the Zayandeh River crossing Esfahan, bridges, parks, paddle boats and traditional cafes and restaurants amongst the rest of Esfahan rich cultural heritage, are major tourist attractions for Iranian as well as international visitors.

External links

* [http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/mapcenter/map.aspx?TextLatitude=31.3705090276404&TextLongitude=49.7273630070071&TextAltitude=6&TextSelectedEntity=42038&MapStyle=Comprehensive&MapSize=Medium&MapStyleSelectedIndex=0&searchText
]

Notes