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Ancient China Greatest Water System Karez
Located in the Turpan of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Karez Water System or Karez System is an irrigation system adapted by local people to solve the problem of water supply. The word Karez means ‘well’ in the local Uyghur language. Due to its unique design and great importance, Karez is considered as one of the three greatest water projects of China, linking it with the Dujiangyan Irrigation System and the Grand Canal.The Karez system collects water from melting snow from the Tian Shan Mountains and the nearby Flaming Mountains. The canals channel the water to the surface, taking advantage of the current provided by the gravity of the downward slope of the Turpan Depression. It runs from high to low ground owing to gravity alone.
The number of Karez Wells that are situated in Turpan Depression today is over 1,000 and the channels have a total length of over 5,000 kilometers. Karez systems are very delicate irrigation systems made up of vertical wells, underground canals, above-ground canals and small reservoirs. Generally, a Karez is 3 km (1.9 miles) with the longest being 20 to 30 km (12-19 miles) with several dozen vertical wells.
In Turpan it is very dry and hot in summer, and land here has a high evaporation rate. And in the windy season, much farmland and many water channels are buried by sand that is brought by wind. However, in Karez system, the underground canal is about 2 meters (6.5 feet) high and covered with earth to resist the heat. The surface canals, connected to the underground ones, are not more than 1 meter (3.2 feet) wide with trees planted on both sides to prevent evaporation. Therefore, Karez Wells can supply water through underground channels and are independent of the
effect of seasons, wind and sand.
Most of the Karezes in the Turpan area were built during the Qing Dynasty era or before 1949. But in modern times, concrete canals and ditches were built and pipes were installed, and hundreds of wells were dug. Now only about 300 Karez are still active, and they supply about 16 percent of the water for irrigation in the Turpan area. And there is also a museum called the Turpan Karez Museum or the Turpan Water Museum. The museum has pictures and models instructing on the history of the Karez system, and there are underground tunnels people can walk around in and see a Karez.
Most of the Karezes in the Turpan area were built during the Qing Dynasty era or before 1949. But in modern times, concrete canals and ditches were built and pipes were installed, and hundreds of wells were dug. Now only about 300 Karez are still active, and they supply about 16 percent of the water for irrigation in the Turpan area. And there is also a museum called the Turpan Karez Museum or the Turpan Water Museum. The museum has pictures and models instructing on the history of the Karez system, and there are underground tunnels people can walk around in and see a Karez.
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