Introduction

Salinity issues largely impact most of the farmlands in Khuzestan which consequently decrease the agricultural productions in this province. Therefore, installing drainage systems are necessary to compensate for this serious problem and increase the crop production. The Drainage Research Institute of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz was founded to enable practical research projects which lead to low-price and efficient drainage systems. That is why, the focus of this institute is on constant improvement of strategies for the designing and execution of research projects to the accomplishment of the objectives. This research institute has the potential to apply modern technologies in investigating drainage systems after careful analysis and measurement of these systems and, sometimes, localizing them to meet the domestic demands and requirements.

The permission to run this institute, including two major research lines of Surface Drainage Systems and Underground Drainage Systems, was granted to Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz by the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology in July 15th 2013. The organizational flowchart of this institute is as follows:

Since that time, there have been efforts to mobilize the Research Station No.1 by Sugarcane Development Company of Khuzestan, like:

·         Construction of irrigation and drainage networks at a range of 180 hectares

·         Construction of office and laboratory sites in the vicinity of these lands

Mission of the Surface Drainage System Research Group

Redirecting the surface drainage system research toward dimensions of open rivers, management and control of weeds, controlled drainage, finding management strategies for collecting and disposing run-offs, and other issues related to the execution and operation of surface drainage systems.  

Mission of the Underground Drainage System Research Group

Planning and directing underground drainage systems research lines toward the analyses of distance, depth and slope of installation of drains, assessing the installed drainage systems, assessing the use of artificial and mineral filters, and other issues related to underground drainage systems.

[Plans of the Institute]

The research plans of this institute includes:

A. Surface Drainage Line of Research

·         Investigating open rivers

·         Investigating the proper slopes according to the soil texture

·         Finding appropriate management strategies for controlling the growth of weeds in surface drainage systems

·         Investigating the stability of the drainage system walls

·         Investigating the dispose conditions and the discharge sites of surface water

·         Numerical simulation of the flow and its qualitative condition in the networks within the province

·         Finding management strategies of surface runoffs

·         Investigating the effects of runoffs discharge on the qualitative issues of the rivers in the province

·         Investigating the effects of retaining drains on controlling groundwater

B. Underground Drainage Line of Research

·         Investigating the distance, depth and slope of installation of drains

·         Investigating composite drains

·         Investigating stepped drains

·         Investigating the drainage coefficient

·         Investigating stagnant surface fluctuations and the possibility of timed discharge of water

·         Investigating the efficiency of artificial filters

·         Investigating the thickness of filters

·         Investigating the materials of artificial filters

·         Investigating the hydraulic conduct and soil permeability

·         Investigating natural filters

·         Investigating different drainage strategies

·         Investigating the quality of drainpipes- collectors

·         Investigating the sediments movements towards the underground drains

·         Investigating techniques of washing and restoration of drainpipes

·         Investigating the possibility of using temporary underground drains

·         Numerical simulating of groundwater flows from hydraulic and qualitative perspectives

C. General Drainage Topics

·         Investigating runoffs quality

·         Investigating the possibility of reusing runoffs for irrigation

·         Investigating the effects of underground and surface drains on the quality of surface water of rivers

·         Investigating the effects of salinity and groundwater on the plant growth

·         Investigating the materials in the runoffs in terms of quality issues, like heavy metals, toxins, fertilizers, etc.

·         Investigating the efficiency of drainage networks

·         Investigating the efficiency of fertilizer consumption through measurement strategies applied in the drain networks

·         Numerical simulation of underground and surface flows

·         Management of drainage networks and runoffs

·         Investigating the possibility of reusing runoffs for fish farming purposes