Investigation of Traditional Water Supply Management Methods in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Central Iran (Case Study: Robat Karim City)

Due to the geographical location of Iran and its location in the arid and semi-arid belt of the earth, water has been very valuable from the past to the present. The Iranian have always tried to use favorable measures to create appropriate structures for water storage, use, collection, distribution and distribution due to limited access to water. The purpose of this study is to investigate the methods of traditional water supply management in the city of Robat Karim. This study was conducted in the city of Robat Karim and the data for the present article were collected by two methods. First, by using library documents that include books on water and irrigation sciences, arid and semi-arid regions, history, travelogues and biographies, as well as reviewing research and resources that include related articles, documents, and reports, along with exploring cyberspace. In the second step, unstructured interviews were conducted using qualitative content analysis method with 20 elderly people in Robat Karim who were purposefully selected. In fact, first a list of qualified people was prepared and interviews were conducted according to their desire and possibility of access. The results showed that the traditional method of water supply in the city of Robat Karim was possible through glacier, water storage, water well, small water basin, aqueducts and permanent and seasonal rivers. Prior to the construction of Amirkabir Dam, with the increase in the number and intensity of rainfall, the Karaj River became more watery and a large volume of water flowed to downstream areas such as Robat Karim, which strengthened the groundwater aquifer and raised its level, which caused prosperity. Agriculture has been especially vineyards. Knowing the traditional methods in water resources management system in different regions of Iran can provide valuable tips that can be used to meet this challenge and water management.