An analysis of the land use and water use patterns of the Esfahan region

Abstract

This geographical investigation of land use and water use in the Esfahan region of Iran is concerned with the consequences of Man's managenent, development and exploitation. In the introductory chapter, the context of the research, the reasons for the selection of the Esfahan region as a study area and the main themes of the thesis are discussed. A systematic analysis is presented of the environmental characteristics, principally the geology, geomorphology, pedology, climate and hydrology of the area. The history of Man's adaptation to these constraints is reviewed; the contemporary patterns of land use and water use are examined; and the data and the statistical and cartographical analyses employed in the study of the patterns are discussed. Local variations of water resource practice, agriculture and rural population are elucidated. The effects of urban expansion and industrial development upon the region's water balance are considered.