What Are Aqueducts?

In use for thousands of years and by many civilizations, aqueducts have a long history and continue to be used to this day. This article describes what aqueducts are, their history and their current uses.

Definition

• An aqueduct is a man-made structure that transports water. Some people also use the term to cover man-made navigable channels. These structures are sometimes raised and have the appearance of bridges. Aqueducts are mainly used to supply water for irrigation and drinking water but are sometimes used to transport ships or alleviate flooding.

History

• The Egyptians, Persians and Assyrians used them to transport water for a variety of uses. Perhaps the most famous aqueducts are those built by the Romans roughly 2,000 years ago. Many of these impressive stone bridge-like structures still stand throughout Europe from Portugal to Turkey.

Current Uses

• Aqueducts are still built and maintained today. California and other states in the United States make use of open man-made channels to transport water long distances for both agricultural and drinking water purposes. The California Aqueduct spans more than 700 miles, supplying much needed water to Southern California farmers and cities.

Potential

• With climate change leading to decreasing precipitation in many populated areas of the world; the potential for expanded use of aqueducts is high. Cities across the United States will likely be forced to locate, secure and transport water from distant sources. Official talks have already begun between the United States and Canada on ways to ship water from Canada to the Midwestern and Southwestern states.

Misconceptions

• When people think of aqueducts, they typically imagine the raised bridge-like structures of the most famous aqueducts. However, most aqueducts either sit at ground level or run underground. Bridge structures were costly to build and were only used when absolutely necessary to cross a valley or low area.