▁promotion ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁w elf are ▁within ▁the ▁communities ▁whose ▁existence ▁depends ▁on ▁the ▁rational ▁explo itation ▁of ▁the ▁resources ▁and ▁pres ervation ▁of ▁such ▁historical ▁structures . ▁Another ▁mission ▁is ▁to ▁promote ▁research ▁and ▁development ▁to ▁restore ▁the ▁q an ats ▁and ▁other ▁traditional ▁historic ▁hyd ra ul ic ▁structures ▁for ▁sust ain able ▁development ▁object ives ▁through ▁international ▁co - operation ▁and ▁global ▁transfer ▁of ▁knowledge ▁and ▁technology . ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁report ▁published ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁by ▁the ▁Water ▁Resources ▁Base ▁Studies ▁Department ▁affili ated ▁to ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Energy , ▁there ▁are ▁ 1 5 ▁Regional ▁Water ▁Author ities ▁throughout ▁the ▁country , ▁based ▁in ▁ 3 0 ▁provinces , ▁conduct ing ▁research ▁projects ▁on ▁water ▁resources ▁in ▁ 6 0 9 ▁study ▁sites . ▁Each ▁study ▁site ▁is ▁the ▁smallest ▁research ▁unit , ▁containing ▁one ▁or ▁several ▁catch ments . ▁Out ▁of ▁ 6 0 9 ▁study ▁sites , ▁ 2 1 4 ▁sites ▁with ▁an ▁overall ▁area ▁of ▁ 9 9 1 , 2 5 6 ▁square ▁kilom eters ▁have ▁been ▁declared ▁as ▁restricted ▁regions , ▁and ▁ 3 9 5 ▁sites ▁with ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁ 6 3 0 6 4 8 ▁square ▁kilom eters ▁are ▁considered ▁free . ▁In ▁the ▁restricted ▁regions ▁there ▁are ▁ 3 1 7 , 2 2 5 ▁well s , ▁q an ats ▁and ▁spr ings ▁that ▁dis charge ▁ 3 6 , 7 1 9 ▁million ▁cub ic ▁meters ▁water ▁a ▁year , ▁out ▁of