Qanat of Baladeh can be regarded as the most important qanat of the region which originates from the northern mountains of Ferdows. It has been the main supplier of agricultural and even potable water of the region since ancient times. This qanat has a discharge of 250 to 300 l/s in dry years, whereas its discharge increases up to 1300 l/s during wet years. The average is, however, 800 l/s. This qanat irrigates more than 2081 ha of farms and gardens, of which 554 ha appertain to farms and 1527 ha to gardens. This qanat is the main supplier of water for the Bāghestān-e Bālā, Bāghestān-e Pāeen and Eslāmiye villages and also parts of Ferdows city.

Catchment

According to the statistics in 2009, there are 204 wells, 31 springs and 351 qanats within Ferdows study zone which have an annual discharge of total 82.2 Mm³, 59.6, 8.6 and 14.6 Mm³ respectively. Twenty branches of qanats in this area have a water discharge ranging from 0.1 to maximum 12 l/s and a total annual sum of 1.17 Mm³. 15 other branches which are mostly of the central parts of the aquifer with a total discharge of 147 l/s have joined and formed Baladeh stream.

Relevant structures

• Main Branches and Shafts: Qanat of Baladeh consists of 15 branches, and carries a total length of 19 km. This qanat is made of 440 well shafts. The water discharge of these qanats varies from 0.5 to 45 l/s.
• Mother well: The mother wells are located on the western foothills of Siyah Kuh mountain, 32-33 km to the NE of Bāghestān-e Bālā. The distance between the farthest Mazhar (Shesh tu) and āb bakhsh, which is located in the northern side of Bāghestān-e Bālā, is almost 30 km. In addition to the mother wells, well shafts and gallery in the 15 branches of this qanat, there are some supplementary structures constructed during the digging and maintenance works of this qanat, such as mard khāneh and zine.
• Āb bakhshān (Water Distribution System): On the way Qanat of Baladeh there are some sections built on the course of the stream to precisely divide the water (maghsam).
• Āb anbār (Water Reservoirs): The existing historic āb anbār of Ferdows city are of the other structures related to Baladeh water system, these water structures have been constructed to store haghābe (water rights) of Baladeh stream, some of which have been restored in recent years.
• Āsiyāb (Mills): Up to 80 years ago, there used to be 12 watermills on the course of this qanat, but presently the only operational watermill in this area is Haji Khan Mill.

Project System and Heritage Composition

The Qanat of the Ferdows (Toon) is considered as one of the most important water resources in Khorāsān-e Jonubi province. Numerous references have been made to this city and its qanats in historical documents which is an indication of their antiquity.

Qanat of Baladeh is a cultural, technological, historic phenomenon which is located in a semi-arid and arid region. Intelligent creativity along with local and traditional knowledge has made this qanat capable of supplying the maximum amount of water without causing any damage to soil and water resources of the region.

This qanat enjoys respective advantages in terms of water management and sustainable maintenance for socio-cultural functions. With a logical and scientific vision over the scarce water resources of the region, the qanats which were located 16 km far from the farms have directed downwards, so that not only the efficiency of irrigation methods has been enhanced but also the economic value of water has been increased only by creating two relatively rich water canals.

Water transmission management System

Water Muddying: The mechanism of water transfer from several kilometres far through tire gari (muddying) not only increases water impermeability but also increases the speed of water flow, this mechanism is of other innovation deployed for better water management in the past.

Planting shade trees: Out of the measures done by the operators in the water transmission management system within the qanat, we need to refer to planting the shade trees on the two sides of the main water stream.
Given the arid and semi-arid area where the Qanat of Baladeh located and its windy climate, these trees
slow down the wind and decrease the direct sunlight over the main water stream reducing
evapotranspiration.

Water distribution management system

The management and ownership of water follow a very clear system in which the shares for different ownerships such as waqf and private ownership as well as the share for each city and town are specified in two distinct periods namely zeyn and volgār. Previously moalef was in charge of the management Qanat of Baladeh and for a long period which is almost 1000 years; qanat was managed with the same traditional method and currently is managing on an arranged integrated basis. To determine the water share of and Bāghestān-e Bālā, Bāghestān-e Pāeen, Eslāmiye and Ferdows cities, a casting lot system has been applied. Water share system of Baladeh is like that of Qasabeh Qanat and its division system is based on a mechanism known as fenjān. In this system, the time required for filling of fenjān is measured and then used as a base for water distribution. Presently, it takes about three minutes, every 24 hours consists of 450 fenjān and each tāqe consisted of 225 fenjān. Qanat of Baladeh supplies 7200 cups which is distributed by two streams for an 8 days cycle, for each 24 hours water share is equal to 480 cups.

The irrigation configuration Qanat of Baladeh is based on a two-season division, shatā (winter- zeyn) and seyfi (spring- volgār). As was mentioned above, zeyn begins from the 25th of September and continues up to the beginning of June while the water circle lasts for 8 days. Water distribution is based on each shareholder’s share which is determined during a special ceremony by moalef each year.

Volgār starts in early June and lasts for 96 days. During volgār period the water is just allocated to the irrigation of gardens. A team of respected local elders determined the water share for each
garden in 1968, therefore water shares belong to the garden and not to its owner. In other words, if the shareholders of Qanat of Baladeh have had no garden, they could not receive any share during volgār period.

In case a garden undergoes functional change, its water share will be transferred to Baladeh Water Company, which distributes it based on the rules to the other shareholders by charging a fee. There are 1800 gardens in Bāghestān-e Bālā, Bāghestān-e Pāeen, and Eslāmiye which benefits from Baladeh water based on 14-day water cycle (an average of 8 irrigations for each garden).

Mirāb water distribution system of Qanat of Baladeh

To prevent issues in the water distribution system of Baladeh, there is a water distribution system only differs in minor aspects. The old and traditional water distribution system consists of the following parts:

• Moalef: A person who is selected from the prominent individuals and is regarded as the manager Qanat of Baladeh Mirābi Organization.
• Accountant: Baladeh Water Organization holds an accountant which is nominated by the moalef and approved by the shareholders. The accountant has a very difficult task because monitoring and keeping an exact record of 7200 water shares and their exact allocation to each shareholder is a complex and time-consuming process.
• Kayyāl: This person is in charge of water distribution during volgār period. There are four kayyāls at Qanat of Baladeh, each stream is controlled by two.
• Juybān: Three persons are in charge of maintaining and repairing water canals that are known as juybān. Moalef of Baladeh hires kayyāls and juybāns for the entire days of volgār period.
• Tire gar: Due to long-distance between water resources and its mazhar-e qanat (about 30 km), and to decrease water permeability and evaporation, water flow is muddied on purpose. Tire gar refers to a person whose job is to muddy the water and who is locally known as gelok gar.
• Sālār: Refers to a person whose job is water distribution during zeyn. Three sālārs are hired for this purpose; one of them is superior and controls the other two called barsālār. They are in charge of transporting water to farms.

Present State of Conservation

Considering the current situation of Qanat of Baladeh and the role it plays in the water supply of the region, its maintenance, and conservation have always been of topmost priority for the locals during its long history. Due to the vulnerability of qanats to earthquakes and floods, the present condition of qanat shows that it has received due attention during its lifetime. Some of the maintenance works carried out in the last 50 years are outlined below:

• Some fifty years ago, a part of Shashtu which had been damaged by the flood was repaired by the construction of a new bypass gallery and its water discharge increased. In later years to prevent water drainage on the river bed, its course was diverted and its water was directed to Haji Ābād village via an earthenware kaval.
• Baladeh qanat council constantly performs maintenance and lāyroobi operations for Qanat of Baladeh;
• A length of 12 km of qanats’ galleries was repaired by the contributions of Baladeh council and financial supports of agriculture office in 1990. The remaining 6 km long galleries (mostly in Cheshme Mahi and Navi) have also been maintained through voluntary funds raised by shareholders;
• The construction of several dykes in the upper parts of qanats by Natural Resources Office and Ministry of Jihad e- Agriculture has led to an increase in qanats’ water discharge;
• Some well shafts and the gallery are restored by kaval gozāri;
• Covering the open parts of qanats has increased its water yield. The maintenance and lāyroobi operations are as old as qanat itself. Major maintenance and renovation work started in 1982 by the close cooperation of Ferdows agriculture. Presently a major part of water passages has been repaired to prevent water drainage.

Some of the old maintenance works done up to 1994 include:

1. Restoration of Sheshtu qanats: These qanats were restored and dredged 50 years ago and some new wells were dug which increased water yield to 8 inches in summer and 20 inches in winter;
2. Maintenance works to prevent water drainage by casing the ditches with earthenware tiles from Ghale Zard hill up to Haji Ābād village; 
3. Lāyroobi the qanats; 
4. Restoration of 12 km qanat by the contribution of Baladeh council and Ministry of Agriculture in 1990. This plan connected Sheshtu qanat to the main canal. This canal passes from behind Haji Ābād village and at a place called “Sar do Sar” where several qanats meet Sheshtu, enters the main canal; 
5. Construction of three barrages: they were constructed by Ministry of Agriculture near Lotf Ābād village.