The first watering system in murcia

THE FIRST WATERING SYSTEM IN MURCIA

You can find remains of ditches, wells, and water tanks from Roman and Visigoth.

Muslim HeritageThe Arabs came to dominate the flow of the river

with his invention: the azud; Forming a pool and to take some of its waters with a system of ditches.

Irrigation in Murcia has its origin in the Contraparada azud, located above the city. From him derive the main canals that branch over minor channels.

Arab ditches

The main ditches occur continuously, following favorable slopes so gradually, the irrigated area is shrinking.

The ditches over the garden of Murcia has generic name designating only geographic place from which they came. These branch into other 40 minor canals. The two largest were the Qibla and The Aljufía.

Waterwheels and watermills

For the system to win in efficacy, there was another element that caused the waters of the Segura further percolated throughout the land: a system of wheels and watermills that allowed saving the uneven terrain and carry water where otherwise not have been possible.

By rotating wheel, the blades are inserted into the water in reverse. This exerted a resistance made it difficult to fill. This problem was resolved by a simple modification: receive either a small hole in the bottom for air escaping. This caused the water hole escape in small quantities when totaled, but was recovered by the next bucket, which in turn lost another small amount that was filled with the following him.

Ramblas, dams and embankmentsThese systems of canals and wells, were the predominant during the following

centuries. Subsequently and following flooding in the orchard were invented streams and dams.

Besides seawalls were constructed: longitudinal dikes located along a river or a watercourse, have been one of the defenses population characteristics of the region to protect against flooding.

If the water does not fall from heaven, will be found under the floor. That must have thought our farmers long ago, when they decided to stock up with fluid element flowing beneath the surface. Groundwater is a resource exploited for a long time in the region, but especially in times of scarcity.

For groundwater wells are constructed throughout the region, taking advantage of the aquifers.

Underground water

Transfer Tajo-Segura

It consists of main channels of distribution secondary pipes and ditches.

It was intended, according to initial estimates, a great benefit for the Region of Murcia thanks to transfer Tajo-Segura. The aim was to get 270,000 hectares of irrigated (hectares that were previously rainfed and irrigated trasformable).

Reservoirs and dams.Egyptians began 4,000 years ago costucción of reservoirs.The marshes could limit the flow and speed, delaying the addition of water and reducing erosion and entrainment.

Avoid flood and erosion was the main objective in the Segura

The complexity and effectiveness, vegetable gardens and orchards, along with Valencia, irrigated areas were most perfect and advanced since the Middle Ages.

DesalinationIn recent years has become popular to use of desalinating sea water,

but the high cost of the machinery used, makes it very slow development