Aqueduct

The Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard, France. The upper tier encloses an aqueduct which carried water to Nimes in Roman times; its lower tier was expanded in the 1740s to carry a wide road across the river

An aqueduct is a man-made channel that carries water from one place to another. Usually, they are used to supply water to cities and towns. They may also carry water for irrigation, or for hydroelectricity. Pipes, canals, tunnels, and bridges that serve this purpose are all called aqueducts. Some aqueducts carry a canal for boats and ships. The word “aqueduct” comes from the Latin words “aqua” (water) and “ducere” (to lead). Aqueducts have been used since ancient times.[1]

List of major aqueducts

Ancient Greek aqueducts

  • The Eupalinian aqueduct on the Greek island of Samos.

Roman aqueducts

Roman aqueduct supplying Carthage, Tunisia

Other aqueducts

Modern aqueduct
  • Wignacourt Aqueduct, Malta. Built in the 16th century to transport water from the old capital city of Malta, Mdina to the new capital city Valletta. Today, only part is visible in the localities of Balzan, Birkirkara and Santa Venera.
  • Aqueduct St-Clément, Montpellier, France - 17th century
  • Águas Livres Aqueduct, in Lisbon, Portugal (built 1731-1748)
  • Carioca aqueduct in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (built 1744-1750)
  • Aqueduct of Teruel, Spain
  • Roquefavour aqueduct, France - built between 1842 and 1847
  • Winnipeg aqueduct, Manitoba, Canada - built between 1915 and 1919
  • Canal de l'aqueduc, Quebec, Canada
  • Päijänne water Tunnel, a 120 kilometer long underground aqueduct (continuous tunnel) connecting lake Päijänne to Greater Helsinki.
  • Wan Mat Saman aqueduct, Kedah, Malaysia - built between 1900 and 1909
  • Central Arizona Project Aqueduct
  • California aqueduct, a 714 mile long combination of canals, pipelines and tunnels, in the Central Valley of the United States.
  • Delaware aqueduct, in New York State, United States - at 85 miles (137 km) long, the world's longest continuous underground tunnel.
  • High Bridge, part of the former Croton Aqueduct, built in 1848, is the oldest surviving bridge in New York City.

References

  1. "aqueduct", Britannica CD 2000