(Note before reading: I am aware it is very unlikely people on here can build one of these systems, so I am just posting it for those who find it interesting)
Evaporation of water from reservoirs and irrigation canals is a problem that many places struggle with today, but one desert solution was used approximately 3000 years ago.
“Throughout the arid regions of Iran, agricultural and permanent settlements are supported by the ancient qanat system of tapping alluvial aquifers at the heads of valleys and conducting the water along underground tunnels by gravity, often over many kilometres. The eleven qanats representing this system include rest areas for workers, water reservoirs and watermills. The traditional communal management system still in place allows equitable and sustainable water sharing and distribution."unesco.org
To make them extra interesting, they could be paired with a wind-tower. This technology could cool a house through evaporative cooling; or even to keep ice from melting too quickly in the middle of a desert.
(Image Sources: Image 1 | Image 2)
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