The Sassanids, whose economy was mainly dependent on agriculture, developed extensive irrigation systems in this region.

[2] The Band-e Kaisar ("Caesar's dam"), an approximately 500-metre (1,600 ft) long Roman weir across the Karun, was the key structure of the complex which, along with the Mizan Dam (Band-e Mizan), retained and diverted river water into the irrigation canals in the area.

[7] Parts of the irrigation system are said to originally date to the time of Darius the Great, an Achaemenian king of Iran.

It partly consists of a pair of primary diversion canals in the Karun river, one of which is still in use today.

[citation needed] The area includes Salasel Castle, which is the axis for operation of the hydraulic system.

[2] Then it enters the plain south of the city, where its impact includes enabling the possibility of farming over the area called Mianâb and planting orchards.

[2] In fact the whole area between the two diversion canals (Shutayt and Gargar) on Karun river is called Mianâb, an island having the Shushtar city at its northern end.