Three thousand years ago, one of the first canals of Yerevan (Dalma canal) was laid on the right bank of the historical Ildaruni river (present day Hrazdan).
Millennia ago the area was arid and the canal was constructed to turn to spot into a green zone suitable for living. The length of the canal is 6,5 km. To bring water to gardens fast and without loss the Urartians built two tunnels in the rock. They are interesting engineering structures. Urartian masters were able to make sophisticated calculations and chose the segments of the rock where cracks were divide into small blocks. And digging was carried out only with the help of crowbars. Currently, the traits of the historical canal in the area of Dalma are destroyed. The exit of the canal which is in the area of Dalma gardens is now in the territory of a building site. A pipe is to be installed here so as the water can flow through it. However the area can be turned into an interesting sight.
During the year the canal is periodically cleaned up, nevertheless this exclusive historical and cultural monument needs special attention. A few meters of the canal passes through the area of Tumanyan park but few people know about it.
The Umeshini canal arose from the area of present-day Yerevan Lake, from the Ildaruni (present-day Hrazdan) river in the 7th century BC. It provides irrigation water to Vagharshapat and neighbouring villages. After the construction of Yerevan Lake this segment of the canal was reconstructed and shortened by 1km.
Umeshini is the only canal that has a stone-carved birth certificate. It was discovered in 1893 during the diggings at Zvartnots archeological site. This cuneiform record was inherited from the Urartian king Rusa II. King Rusa wrote that he had inherited a country which was weakened because wars but he intended to make it powerful again. He also wrote about laying canals, about irrigation of this arid area, which was turned into gardens and fortresses were constructed here.
Once there were four canals passing through Yerevan: Dalma, Umeshini, Abuhayat, Mamri. The latter two ones unfortunately were ruined during the construction of the city. A small part of Mamri canal can still be preserved if the building wastes piled here are removed. The canals of Yerevan are the veins of our city and our history which should be not only preserved but also presented to public as Armenian and global historical and cultural heritage.