Shushtar Hydraulic System

The system at Shushtar was developed over a very long period, with major work under the Sassanids in the third century AD, and it did several things at once: a dam diverted the Karun into an artificial channel cut through rock, tunnels carried water under the city, canals irrigated a large plain, and a series of waterfalls drove watermills built into the gorge. The Mizan dam split the flow, the Gargar canal carried it, and the mills and cascades below form the part visitors see, a stepped complex of stone chambers, races and falls with water pouring through it. Roman prisoners taken by Shapur I are traditionally credited with part of the construction. Much of it remained in use into the twentieth century.

What to look for

• The mill and cascade complex - stone chambers and waterfalls in the gorge.
• Rock-cut canals and tunnels - channels driven through solid stone.
• The Mizan dam - the structure that splits the river.
• Bridges and weirs - the wider system spread through the town.

When to go

November to March; summer is extreme. Half a day for the mill complex and the bridges. Water flow varies with releases upstream, and the cascades are much better when the river is running.

What to expect

Flow is controlled upstream and the falls can be reduced to a trickle, which removes most of the effect. Parts of the complex are fenced. Shade is limited. The system is spread across the town and needs a plan or a guide to follow.

Nearby

Chogha Zanbil is west; Susa lies north-west.

Key facts