Research Article Open Access

Distribution and Determining of Urban Sprawl in Kerman with Emphasis on Kariz Water System

Ali Hosseini1, Mohammad Shabanifard1, Mostafa Rashidi2 and Mamohammad Reza Saiydzade3
  • 1 Department of Geography and Urban Planning, University of Tehran, Alley Azin, Qouds Str, Enghelab Ave, Tehran, Iran
  • 2 Department of Geography and Political Geography, University of Tehran, Iran
  • 3 Department of Political Geography, Azad University, North Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Problem statement: Urban sprawl is one of the contemporary issues of cities all over the world. The Kariz system consists of underground channels that convey water from aquifers in highlands to the surface at lower levels by gravity. The problem of water shortage in arid and semi-arid regions is one of low rainfall and uneven distribution throughout the season, which makes rain fed agriculture a risky enterprise. The system supplies 75% of all the water used in that country, providing water not only for irrigation but also for house-hold consumption. Approach: This study explained and determined role Karizs in urban sprawl in Kerman. Results: Absence of planning for maintaining the Kariz s within the urban planning and their extinction have led to inclination toward other methods such as digging few deep wells during forth recent decades. Conclusion: A Kariz system has a profound influence on the lives of the water users. It allows those living in a desert environment adjacent to a mountain watershed to create a large oasis in an otherwise stark environment.

Physics International
Volume 1 No. 1, 2010, 9-15

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/pisp.2010.9.15

Submitted On: 22 October 2009 Published On: 31 March 2010

How to Cite: Hosseini, A., Shabanifard, M., Rashidi, M. & Saiydzade, M. R. (2010). Distribution and Determining of Urban Sprawl in Kerman with Emphasis on Kariz Water System. Physics International, 1(1), 9-15. https://doi.org/10.3844/pisp.2010.9.15

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Keywords

  • Urban water systems
  • urban sprawl
  • Kariz (Qanat)
  • arid areas
  • Kerman