Historical dams, edited by H. Fahlbusch. International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, India, 2001. ISBN 81-85068-76-3.
✍ Scribed by T. H. Anstey
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2002
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 22 KB
- Volume
- 51
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1531-0353
- DOI
- 10.1002/ird.58
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
This 562-page book contains chapters prepared by 17 authors describing 19 ancient dams beginning with the Sadd-el Kafara dam near Heluan, just south of Cairo, Egypt, believed to have been constructed between 2700 and 2600 BC. This dam, which should have withstood expected floods, is believed to have been destroyed by a flash flood during its construction. Two other ancient dams, one in the Fayum depression and the other near Aswan, both in the Valley of the Nile, are included in Historical Dams.
Dams and water management in the Kingdom of Urartu (where today's frontiers of Turkey, Iran and Armenia meet) is the next subject of study. The area has low precipitation, high temperatures and high rates of evaporation during the growing season, hence irrigated agriculture and methods of storing water were essential to maintain its flourishing pre-Christian populations. Canals, retaining walls, aqueducts and irrigation systems were all part of the extensive water system.
Historical Dams next considers the development of gravity dams in many parts of the world including Turkey, Iran and Russia (the ancient ones), then in Spain, Mexico and Bolivia and finally in Europe and North America. The evolution of the arch dam is the subject of the eleventh chapter later followed by treatises on buttress, earth and rock-filled dams. Other chapters consider dams in particular areas such as the Danube, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Great Britain.
Historical Dams contains many coloured photographs and technical drawings showing the construction of most dams included in the body of the text. It has been well written, carefully edited and in general is easily read. Engineers and others concerned with the construction of dams or interested in the irrigation of crops will find Historical Dams a useful addition to their library.