Investigating the Role of Gourabs in Supplying Water to Villages in Desert Areas of Khuzestan Province, Iran

Agriculture dates back to several millennia in Mesopotamia and Khuzestan plain. Alongside agricultural production, people in this region have preserved water and soil, reduced water and wind erosion, and mitigated the impact of floods and drought based on experience, simple techniques, and using rocks and soil as construction material. The Khuzestan plain is located at the end of the drainage basin, where dust has become an issue in recent years. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to investigate the role of gourabs, a type of pond, as an indigenous structure for supplying water to the villages of desert areas in Khuzestan province. Initially, basic information was collected by reviewing the available resources. Then, some gourabs were identified and site selection was done in Google Earth using satellite imagery. For a more detailed study of the subject, field visits and interviews with experts were carried out, and questionnaires were distributed. The results indicate that in general, the shape of a gourab is either circular, square, or rectangular, and the structure is built in three sizes (small, medium, and large). We also found five types of function for these structures. In some areas circular gourabs are used for various functions, but in other areas each type of gourab serves a specific function.