The book “Qanats of Qasem Abad and Emamiyeh in Mashhad” authored by Majid Labbaf Khaneiki, Ali Asghar Semsar Yazdi, Amir M. Ebrahimi, Rajab A. Labbaf Khaniki was published by ICQHS in 2016. The book contains a comprehensive study on examines the qanats of Qasem Abad and Emamiyeh which are of great importance from technical and historical points of view. The qanat of Qasem Abad has been built at a deeper level than the qanat of Emamiyeh, so it can drain out the groundwater infiltration in addition to the water of Golestan dam which seeps into the qanat gallery, whereas qanat of Emamiyeh exclusively relies on the water of Golestan dam which percolates downward. The historical studies suggest that the qanat of Emamiyeh has been built following the construction of Golestan dam, and it seems to have something to do with the dam mechanism. Qanats of Qasem Abad and Emamiyeh carry technical and economic importance in addition to their historical value, because they are supplying drinking water to a part of western Mashhad. These two qanats used to play a vital role in the agricultural economy in the region in the past, and now they are being applied in water supply sector in the face of the intensive urban sprawl in Mashhad. The book shows that the modern urban sprawl has changed the application of the qanats but could not eliminate them. Therefor these qanats can be considered special examples which deserve more attention.
