Karkheh River Basin

The Karkheh River Basin is, most notably, the eastern flank of the "cradle of civilization" (ancient Mesopotamia) and a boundary between the Arab and Persian cultures. This major river system of western Iran has unique agricultural and hydrological aspects; but also much in common with other catchments around the world: debilitating rural poverty and land degradation, low water and agricultural productivity, a dry climate, and growing upstream-downstream competition for water.

Changes in land use patterns in recent decades, especially overgrazing and conversion of natural pastures to rainfed cropping, have taken a heavy toll. Ninety percent of the upper watershed’s rangelands and 70 percent of its forests have been significantly degraded. At the same time, excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides is polluting groundwater, putting human health at serious risk. Surface waters, too, reflect the excesses of inappropriate farming practices.

The future of the Karkheh river basin and its people’s livelihoods clearly depends on more holistic, basin-wide management and monitoring of natural resources—water, soil, vegetation and livestock.

Here, the CPWF will contribute in two ways:

  • Helping build a better scientific understanding of the human and biophysical dynamics of the basin.

  • Designing practical tools, guidelines and technologies for farmers, policymakers and scientists.

Lessons learned will be particularly useful in other dry zones where continued use of water resources for crop irrigation depends heavily on better land management.

Basin Coordinator:

Nader Heydari
Iranian Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AERI)
Irrigation and Drainage Department,
P.O. Box 31585-845, Karaj, Iran
Tel: +98-261-2705320, 2708359, +98-912-2612556
Fax:+98-261-2706277
nrheydari@yahoo.com

Karkheh Basin Overview

Area: 50,764 km2

Basin Population: approximately 4 million

Percentage rural: 67%

Rural per capita income from agriculture: US$230

Rainfall: ranging from 150 mm in the south to 750 mm in the north; 70% evaporation rate

Climate: mainly semi-arid, with arid portions

Total developed water resources: over 8 billion m3 (after completion of the Karkheh dam)

Irrigation water consumption: 3.9 billion m3/year (more than 60% is surface water)

Groundwater consumption and uses: 1.65 billion m3/year; agriculture, 87%; drinking water, 12%; industry, 1%

Irrigated area: 1,100 km2, with planned expansion to 3,400 km2

Major crops and proportion of cultivated area: wheat and barley, 76%; pulses, 23%; 1%, forages, orchards, vegetables, oil seeds

Area suitable for rainfed agriculture: 8,940 km2

Institutional arrangements for managing water: Ministry of Power, responsible for water development and allocation