M.A Tajalli - * Graduate student at the water structure, University of Tabriz
S Besharat - Faculty of Agriculture, University of Urmia

The paper throws light on traditional knowledge of water management in semi-arid regions. In this regions, where rainfall is scanty, many water management systems were developed to provide irrigation water for agricultural through the centuries ago. To overcome water scarcity in semi-arid regions traditional water management systems were locally developed. Objective of this article is different traditional water management and harvesting systems, including: simar, chuptaul, khal, dhaan in India and Qanat, Khooshab and Bandsar in Iran were evaluated in our article. These practices traditionally used by local people made the best possible use of the scare water resources and difficult conditions created by the aridity of the climate. People managed their water bodies on their own and this gave birth to a unique water harvesting civilization. Water was revered and regarded as scared as is evidenced by the exquisite ornamentations bodies. An amazing aspect of these structures and systems is their longevity. It will be discussed why some traditional water management systems still are using properly in arid and semi-arid regions and some are not. Local People should be empowered to manage and maintain water management systems. This specific opportunity could be prepared through locally based integrated planning at the strategic and tactical levels of decision-making process by collaboration between community, government and NGOs in water sectors

Traditional knowledge, Water management, Semi-arid, Iran, India