• O
ld shadouf,
• A
griculture drainage structures,
• Any site or structure functionally related to
present or past agricultural water
management activity.
The criteria for the structure to be recognised
as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure fulfil
one or more of the following criteria.
a) The structure represents a milestone /
turning points in development of irrigated
agriculture and bear an exceptional
testimony to development of agriculture
and increase in food production along with
the improvement of economic condition of
farmers;
b) The structure that is ahead of its time in
terms of project formulation, engineering
design, construction techniques,
dimensions of the structure itself,
quantu m of water diverted, and size of the
command; any one or more of these;
c) Have made outstanding contribution to
enhancing food production, livelihood
opportunities, rural prosperity, and poverty
alleviation in a region;
d) Is innovative in its ideas at the time of its
construction;
e) Contributes to the evolution of efficient
AgriKultuur |AgriCulture
and contemporary engineering theories
and practices;
f) Is an example of attention to
environmental aspects in its design and
construction;
g) Is an example of engineering marvel or
excellence at the time of its construction;
h) Is unique in some positive and constructive
way;
i) Bears the stamp of a cultural tradition or a
civilization of the past;
The ICID Register of all WHIS are publicised
through the ICID website www.icid.org.
China’s four historical irrigation and drainage
systems are -- the Dujiangyan Irrigation
System, Jiangxiyan Irrigation system, Lingqu
Canal and Changqu Canal
The Changqu Canal, also known as Baiqi
Canal was built in 279 BC and diverts water
from one side of the weir. The weir is 120 m
long and 3.4 m high. At present, the main
water source of the Changqu (Bai Qi) Canal
is the Sandaohe Reservoir. The main canal
is 49.25 km long in total. There are 38 main
branch canals in the irrigation system. The
canals connect many reservoirs, weirs and
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