The Karez Well System is an important ancient irrigation system that is still used in Turpan, Xinjiang, in Northwest China. (Karez is the Uyghur word for 'well', from the Persian for 'channel'.) The tunnel system provides water for local people to drink as well as to water their crops.

Turpan's karez water system is made up of a horizontal series of vertically dug wells that are then linked by underground water canals to collect water from the watershed surface runoff from the base of the Tian Shan Mountains and the nearby Flaming Mountains.

Karez System (also called Karez or Karez Well System 坎儿井), with a history of more than 2000 years, is a kind of underground water conservancy project created in the long historical development of the working people in arid areas.

Considered a great Uyghur engineering feat, find out why the ancient Uyghur karez well system is nicknamed the "Underground Great Wall" in Xinjiang, China.

Mar 28, 2008 · A Karez well generally consists of four parts: the open channel, the underground channel, the vertical well and the small reservoir. The underground channel constitutes the main body of the system, which is in fact the underground watercourse.

Jan 20, 2025 · Karez System in Turpan is one of the largest and most well-preserved Karez systems in the world, dating back over 2,000 years. Turpan Karez Water System Facts. Location: Turpan Basin, Xinjiang, China. History: The system was developed over 2,000 years ago for agricultural irrigation.

Feb 25, 2023 · The Karez Well System dates back over 2,000 years and is believed to have been first constructed during the Han Dynasty. The system was designed to solve the problem of water scarcity in the Turpan region of Xinjiang, which is situated in the heart of the Gobi Desert.

Karez are very delicate irrigation systems made up of vertical wells, underground canals, above-ground canals and small reservoirs. Generally, a karez is 3 km (1.9 miles) with the longest being 20 to 30 km (12-19 miles) with several dozen vertical wells.

Located in the Turpan of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Karez Water System or Karez System is an irrigation system adapted by local people to solve the problem of water supply. The word Karez means ‘well’ in the local Uyghur language.

The karez well system, a unique underground irrigation network, stands tall in Xinjiang trips , having braved centuries of harsh weather. Alongside the Great Wall and the Grand Canal, it’s celebrated as one of China’s ancient engineering wonders.