The Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System is a unique combination of canals, bridges, dams, weirs, watercourses and water mills. It clearly demonstrates Persian developments in efficiently utilizing nature towards human welfare, by using water engineering techniques. Here is the structure of this wonderful hydraulic system. First of all, an artificial branch generates from Karoon river to Shushtar city, called Gargar river. Secondly, weirs are wisely built on the river to increase the water level. In order to guide water to farms and gardens by benefiting from watercourses. Next, they constructed several dams on the river to handle the water current. Then, the water reaches the water mills through canals and then tunnels carved in stone. Following the skillful use of water for spinning the mills’ huge graining stones, the wasting water eventually flows to a central so called pool and causes a breathtaking scene. After a while, Gargar river, successfully accomplished its task, joins back to Karoon river. Ancient Iranians built all of these structure using “Sarouj” (traditional cement), lime and of course local stones.
