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ДĀRAT AL-ΚAQR (Bāhla): DOCUMENTATION AND HERITAGE MANAGEMENT PLAN of water. The arid environment and highly seasonal precipitation require complex and sophisticated water extraction, storage and management systems to not only collect the resource but also distribute it fairly over large agricultural areas.
Figure 3.7a,b Bāhla, 3D terrain model
In Oman this has been achieved since around 1000BC with the application of the famous falaj irrigation system, which appears to have been introduced into the region from South Eastern Persia (Cleuziou & Tosi 2007; 151). Water extraction was usually achieved by the construction of horizontal galleries into the alluvial fan of a mountain or into the higher reaches of a wādi. Within these galleries, which could measure up to several kilometres in length, condensation and underground aquifers could generate an impressive flow-rate of several hundred litres per second, such as the Falaj al-Kathmeen in Barkat al-Mawz. The Oasis of Bāhla received its water supply for a series of aflaj running north-south and entering the oasis from the north-west. The main falaj systems, al-Maytha (al-Methi) and al-Mahdith, al-Jizyayn, al-Maqil and ‘Ayn al-Lamih, enter from the north and the west but many others appear to
Figure 3.8 Wādi Bāhla
have entered the settlements from the surrounding territories (see preliminary report mrmewr calculations). Barth provides details on the relative sizes of the important falaj systems (Barth 1978: 56-57), where Falaj al-Maytha is by far the largest of the falaj systems, “arising in two different headwater areas and supplemented by a third source through the construction in 1966 of Falaj al-Gadid [Jadeed]” (Barth 1978: 56). Maqil (Makkil?) joins up with Maytha just outside the gate, Sabah al-Hawashim in Дārat al-ΚAqr. Abu Zayd ‘Abdullah b. Muhammad al-Riyami, the wali of Bāhla for 30 years under both the 20th century Imams, made significant improvements to the first three of its five aflaj (Wilkinson 1977: 100, 150-151), who also made other contributions towards the upkeep of the settlement and the Bait al-Mal properties. Jizyayn - the falaj with two branches - is mentioned at the beginning of the 17th century when the Nabahina rulers built a fort to protect Bāhla from attacks by the ‘Umayri malik of Sumayil and his Bani Hina allies (Kashf 1874: 147; also, Wilkinson 1977: 155 n. 21). The share of falaj water is normally decided through auction (Barth 1978: 58-60; Wilkinson 1977: 113); the price of abadda (the traditional unit of water share defined by a 12-hour flow in the channel) of water normally increases during the lean summer months. Northern (‘Alayet or upper) Bāhla seems to have had a better share of water: a high water table, extensive falaj channel network and many wells, a minor wādi and associated wells. While water from the wādi is still utilised for agriculture, as a result of a highly reduced flow over the last ten years, extensive areas of adjoining date plantation have dried up. The well network, mainly consisting of two types - the larger zigrah/jazirah wells and the simply sunk smaller localised wells, which had always supplemented the wādi flow and the falaj system, is increasingly falling into disuse. More specialised research, however, needs to