Abstract
The Mugan Plain is a vast, flat area of strategic and agricultural importance located in southeastern Azerbaijan, between the Kura and Araz rivers. This article analyzes the natural and geographical features of the Mugan Plain, including its topography, climate, soil, and water resources. It examines the large-scale land reclamation and water management projects implemented in the Mugan Plain, particularly during the tsarist period, to develop cotton production. Information is provided on the problem of soil salinization resulting from the rapid expansion of cultivated areas and on the construction of drainage systems to prevent it. The article also examines the construction and operation of the Jafarhan experimental station, as well as errors made in the design and implementation of collector and drainage systems. The Mugan-Salyan water supply system and its operating mode, the purpose of constructing the Main-Mil-Mugan collector, and the significance of these infrastructures in terms of water use regulation are discussed. The article also provides a detailed analysis of why irrigation and drainage systems have not performed as intended over the past 40 years. Finally, it provides extensive information on proposed measures to efficiently use arable land and water resources.