Progress and Development of Kermanshah Province

Progress and Development of Kermanshah Province

Assessment the effectiveness of “reverse qanat” as a novel method for artificial recharge of groundwater in the Tang Kenehsht watershed, Kermanshah

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammad Khosravi 1
Morteza Pourreza 2
Khalil Jalili 3
1 Department of Natural resources, faculty of Agriculture, Razi University
2 Departement of Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah,Iran.
3 Department of Environmental Resource Management, ACECR, Kermanshah, Iran.
10.22034/mpo.2025.469551.1123
Abstract
The increase in population, urbanization, climate change, and drought, along with higher water consumption and improper management of water resources, have led to a growing pressure on groundwater resources. Excessive extraction of groundwater can cause irreparable damage to aquifers. One of the methods to improve the status of aquifers is artificial recharge. The "reverse qanat" is a novel method for artificial recharging of groundwater, which is similar to a conventional qanat but operates in reverse, directing water to the subsurface. This method was first implemented by the General Directorate of Natural Resources and Watershed Management in Kermanshah Province, specifically in the Tang Kenesht watershed. This study evaluated its effectiveness in artificially recharging groundwater. The reverse qanat consists of a main gallery with a diameter of one meter and a length of 5,076 meters, along with 30 wells, each 6 to 12 meters deep and one meter in diameter. Results indicated that over a four-month period, this reverse qanat can recharge approximately 1,292,696 cubic meters of water. Additionally, during flood events, it can reduce peak flood discharge by up to 240 liters per second, which is significantly important due to the location of the watershed area upstream of the city of Kermanshah.
Keywords
reverse qanat
artificial recharge
groundwater
Tang Kenesht
Kermanshah
Subjects