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Title: Le Kârun et l'irrigation de la plaine d'Ahvâz
Author(s): FLOOR, W.
Journal: Studia Iranica
Volume: 28    Issue: 1   Date: 1999   
Pages: 95-122
DOI: 10.2143/SI.28.1.2003919

Abstract :
L'idée d'irriger la plaine d'Ahvaz et ses environs fut lancée en 1875, et plusieurs propositions de concession furent proposées. Ce n'est qu'en 1902 que Mozaffar al-Din Shah employa un ingénieur néerlandais pour y étudier les possibilités d'irrigation. Mais le manque d'argent du gouvernement persan et l'opposition des Anglais fit enterrer le projet. Le plan d'irrigation de la plaine d'Ahvaz ne fut finalement réalisé que dans les années 1960.



The idea to irrigate the Ahvaz plains was launched in 1875, and several proposals for concessions were submitted. However, none of these concessions were executed. In 1902 Mozaffar al-Din Shah employed a Dutch engineer to study the Ahvaz irrigation potential. In 1905 the Shah approved the project proposed to him by the Dutch team. Due to the lack of funds of the Persian government and to the opposition of the British government the project was abandoned. London did not want a non-British presence in Khuzestan, which it wanted to reserve for British interests. For the same reason the British opposed a similar plan proposed by a Russian subject and proposed, together with Sheikh Khaz'al its own alternative plan. With the expiration of the Dutch concession in 1911 the plan for the irrigation of the Ahvaz plains came to an end. In 1927 the irrigation plans for Ahvaz were rivived by the Dutch consul at Ahvaz. A former member of the 1905 Dutch team was employed to update the old plan. The proposal was to start with a small irrigation project to get experience before realizing the large dam project. In this way it was also more likely that the Persian government could co-finance the project. However, in 1934 the Persian government decided that it had no money to invest in large irrigation projects. The irrigation dam of Ahvaz was finally realized in the 1960s.

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