Qanats a Unique Groundwater Management Tool in Arid Regions: The Case of Bam Region in Iran

For rational management of groundwater a holistic approach, linked to the sustainable management of the ecosystem must be developed. It is demonstrated that ancient methods of groundwater management, such as the qanats system, could provide a good example of human ingenuity to cope with water scarcity in a sustainable manner. The catastrophic earthquake of Bam has drawn the attention of researchers and professionals to a great human heritage related to the sustainable management of groundwater in arid zones and the development of a sophisticated culture of rational resource allocation