Rethinking Oman Coastal Water Transfers Adopting Indigenous Flood Management and Monsoon Wisdom in Baluchestan, Iran

This paper critiques Iran's proposal to transfer water from the Oman Sea inland by presenting a historically grounded, locally adaptive alternative rooted in indigenous floodwater management systems in Baluchestan. The region, influenced by a monsoonal system with a history spanning at least 5000 years, utilizes traditional methods such as Hootak, Dagar, and Qanat to harvest and infiltrate seasonal floodwaters. Our archaeological field investigations in the Bampur Valley (2002 and 2004) and in Dezak-Saravan (2018) offered valuable empirical insights, enabling us to approach this sensitive and pressing issue within the framework of contemporary archaeology. Drawing on archaeological, ethnographic, and environmental data, the study outlines how these systems—rooted in deep ecological knowledge—can recharge aquifers and provide a sustainable alternative to large-scale coastal water transfers. The paper argues that such transfers are economically costly, ecologically disruptive, and culturally misaligned. The research highlights the significant loss of monsoon floodwater annually to the Oman Sea and Pakistan’s Mashkid basin. These findings underscore the urgent need to invest in reviving and adapting intangible water heritage as a viable solution to the national water crisis.