本文旨在透過對清代方志、日人調查以及近代學人之研究的整理，發現草屯地區水利之種種問題，再利用近年出土之近四百件契約文書中之有關水利者八十餘件以印証、彌補、正誤前述文獻。通過論辨，重建較可信之草屯地區水利史。 舊圳最早，乾隆八年以前已開。其併行之新圳則在乾隆三十七年以前已開。大圳即險圳，乾隆八年北投社土目葛買奕委漢人吳連倘或吳連登所開。乾隆十六年池良生開築之說缺乏契約文書之印証。媽助圳乾隆四十一年以前已開鑿。阿轆治圳可能即是茄荖圳，開鑿於道光初年以前。媽助圳、茄荖圳之開鑿人諸說並陳，疑點甚多，圳名都有異寫。因疑貓羅社所開。媽助、媽祖疑即蔴薯之異寫。 乾隆末年以前，草屯烏溪沖積扇的大部分都有水利設施，都已水田化。匏仔寮台地以東則要到日治時開龍泉圳，方才有水灌溉。

The purpose of this essay is to reconstruct an authentic history of the development of irrigation systems in Tsaotun. I first investigate several issues by a review of idiographs from the Ching Dynasty, surveys from the Japanese Colonial period, and related studies from the contemporary era. Newly discovered historical documents of contracts, in which eighty-some out of four hundred are in relation to the development of irrigation systems, are used to complement and legitimate information from the aforementioned three sources—idiographies, surveys, and contemporary studies. By doing so, the history of the development of irrigation systems in Tsaotun can thus become more authentic. Jio Tzeu (Old Channel), constructed before the 8th year in the Chyuan Long era (1743 A.D.; hereafter ChyuanLong year), is the earliest channel of the irrigation systems in Tsaotun. The HsinTzeu (New Channel) parallel with it was constructed before the 37th ChyuanLong year (1772 A.D.). DaTzeu (Wide Channel), i.e. Shean Tzeu (Risky Channel), was constructed by the Chinese man, Wu Lian-Tang or Wu Lian-Deng, who was commissioned by Ge Mai Yi, the chief of PeiTou-Sheh (PeiTou Hamlet). The statement, in which Chi Liang-Shen constructed SheanTzeu in the 16th Chyuan Long year (1751 A.D.), is not substantial due to a lack of approval that can be found in the historical documents of contracts. MaJuhTzeu (MaJuh Channel) was constructed before the 41st ChyuanLong year (1776 A.D.). ALuTzeu (A Lu Channel), probably JiaLaoTzeu (JiaLao Channel), was constructed before the early years in the Daw Guang era. Various figures are said to be responsible for the construction of MaJuhTzeu and of JiaLaoTzeu. However, these statements remain suspicious because the mentioned channels, which are credited to the respective figures, are all called divergent names from both MaJuhTzeu and Jia Lao Tzeu. Then, it is pertinent to assume that the two channels had been constructed by aborigines of MaoLuo-Sheh (Mao Luo Hamlet). The name MaJùh or MaJûh are supposed to be misspellings of Ma Shû. In the late years of the ChyuanLong era, the irrigation systems were commonly installed in the area of the WuShi (Black Stream) alluvial fan in Tsaotun, and fields there were all rice puddles. Until the completion of Lung Chyuan Tzeu (Lung Chyuan) in the Japanese Colonial period, the irrigation systems in the area on the east of PaoTzuLiao Mesa did not exist.