Two historic Turkish water systems receive international heritage award
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Güneşli
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Güneşli
Two historic water systems in Türkiye have received the World Heritage Irrigation Structures (WHIS) Award, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, which announced the recognition during the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) 2026 Congress in Marseille, France.
In a statement, the ministry said the Dara Ancient City Water System in Mardin and the Aleppo Canal Water System in the Oğuzeli district of Gaziantep were honoured with the international award after being nominated by the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ).
Recognition for Türkiye's water engineering heritage
The ministry said the awards once again demonstrated the international significance of Türkiye's centuries-old water civilisation and engineering heritage.
It added that efforts would continue to preserve the country's historic water infrastructure while ensuring that this engineering legacy is passed on to future generations.
The Dara Ancient City Water System, dating back to the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) period, is known for its sophisticated network of reservoirs, underground cisterns and canals that supplied water to one of Upper Mesopotamia's most important ancient settlements. Archaeological excavations have highlighted the system as an outstanding example of ancient hydraulic engineering.
The Aleppo Canal Water System in Gaziantep's Oğuzeli district represents a historic irrigation network that has supported agricultural production for generations by conveying water across farmland through an extensive canal system.
WHIS programme
The World Heritage Irrigation Structures (WHIS) programme was established by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) to recognise irrigation and water-management structures that are more than 100 years old and have made lasting contributions to agriculture, engineering and sustainable water management. The awards are presented as part of the ICID Congress, one of the world's leading international gatherings on irrigation and drainage.(ILKHA)
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