Water flow management methods or devices Part 1
Water-Lifting Devices
Ancient civilizations developed various water-lifting devices, such as the shaduf, windmill, or Archimedean screw, in areas where water sources were at lower elevations. These devices allowed for the efficient lifting of water to higher levels for irrigation purposes. Ancient Chinese developed pumping stations to uplift water. Today, water tanks, pumping stations, and pipes are used for the same purpose. Water lifting devices help in water flow management.
Water mills were widely used in medieval Europe for milling grain and performing various industrial tasks. By strategically placing water mills along rivers, communities could harness the power of flowing water while simultaneously helping to control water levels. As the power of the water is extracted for commercial purposes, the force of the water will be reduced, reducing the soil erosion. The power of the flowing water is not fully exploited till today. Even though hydroelectric dams around the globe exploit a part of the power of the water, a lot of power is still there to be exploited. We are not yet fully realizing the full potential of hydroelectric power production using mini, micro, and vortex hydroelectric power production.
Weirs, Sluices, And Gates
Weirs, sluices, and gates used to control the flow of water. Weirs are low dams that are used to raise the water level in a river or stream. Weirs were constructed across rivers to regulate water flow and facilitate irrigation. Ancient Chinese societies used different types of weirs to control water levels and distribute water to agricultural fields. Sluices are gates that are used to control the flow of water through a dam. Cascading connected tanks, which emerged in Sri Lanka as early as the fifth century BC, used canals and sluices to connect a series of tanks. Gates are used to open and close a channel, allowing water to flow through or to be blocked. They are useful, especially in field channels, to control the water supply to crops.
Fish weirs are structures placed in rivers or streams to control the movement of fish, facilitate fishing, but also influence water flow and flood management. In addition to their role in fishing, ancient European communities used fish weirs and traps in rivers to influence water flow. These structures were sometimes designed to redirect water and mitigate the impact of floods on nearby settlements.
Ancient Chinese societies used different types of weirs to control water levels and distribute water to agricultural fields. Traditional Weirs were constructed across rivers and streams to regulate water flow and facilitate irrigation. They regulated water flow and were designed to trap sediments, enhancing soil fertility. Weirs are structures that helped to control water flow and allowed for sustainable fishing practices. African societies used fish weirs and traps in rivers and water bodies. These structures not only facilitated fishing but also influenced water flow and flood management. Australian indigenous communities often constructed fish weirs, which were structures placed in rivers or streams to control the movement of fish, as a means of obtaining food. Traditional fish traps built in rivers and waterways by aboriginal communities, while not directly for flood management, played a role in changing water flow, contributed to managing river dynamics, and had environmental implications. Ancient Indian civilizations also built weirs, sluices, and gates to control the flow of water. Originating during the eastern Han dynasty, the dragon’s gate water control system was a series of gates and channels designed to manage water flow and prevent flooding along the Min River in Fujian Province.
Reservoirs, Tanks, Dams, Check Dams
Reservoirs and tanks are used to store water and minimise flooding. They stored water during rainy and snowmelt seasons. They provided water during dry seasons for irrigation, domestic, industrial, commercial, and religious use. Ancient civilisations around the globe used many kinds of reservoirs and tanks for storing water. Reservoirs are still used for storing water.
Dams are built across rivers to control the flow of water and protect the settlements from rivers. For example, the dams reduce the destructive force of the Yellow River. This practice was used by ancient populations in Peru, Mesopotamia, the Middle East, China, India, and Africa. The dammed water is very useful during dry seasons for irrigation, domestic, industrial, commercial, and religious use. Reservoirs and dams were built in the foothills of the Himalayas, where they could capture the monsoon rains and store them for later use. Check dams constructed across smaller streams and tributaries to slow down the flow of water and to trap sediments. These structures contributed to soil conservation and helped to regulate water flow downstream, reducing the risk of flooding.
Cascading connected tanks collected and distributed water over a wide area of land. They stored water during the period of abundance and distributed water when it was needed. They helped reduce the effects of floods and droughts. Cascading connected tanks are a hydraulic engineering wonder from ancient Sri Lanka. They are still used in different parts of the world.
You can look at reservoirs in the full article dedicated to reservoirs by clicking the following Page Resevoirs
Floating Gardens And Chinampas
In flood-prone areas, such as parts of Assam, communities created floating gardens called “phumdis” to cultivate crops. These floating gardens rise and fall with the water levels, allowing for sustainable agriculture in areas prone to inundation. This water management strategy allowed them to produce crops even during the floods.
Aztec civilization, dominant in Meso-America (central and southern Mexico) from 1300 to 1521 CE, developed a unique agricultural technique known as chinampas, artificial farming islands. These floating gardens were constructed in the marshy areas of the valley of Mexico, serving both as a form of land for agriculture and flood control. They are constructed on mats of vegetation. Chinampa agriculture allowed communities to grow crops even during periods of high water levels. These rectangular plots of land, constructed on marshy lakebeds, were elevated above the water level using soil, reeds, and other organic materials and were used for intensive agriculture Chinampas were supported by a complex system of canals for water management. The chinampa system provided fertile soil and a controlled water environment, allowing for the cultivation of a variety of crops, including maize, beans, squash, and tomatoes.
Flood Ways or Diversion Channels
Diversion channels, also known as flood ways, are usually man-made channels that are designed to divert excess floodwaters away from populated areas. These channels can be natural or artificial, and they can be temporary or permanent. Diversion channels were used in ancient civilizations to protect settlements and populated areas from flooding. They can also be used to divert water from agricultural lands. They could mitigate the impact of floods on communities, infrastructure, commercial and industrial complexes, and agricultural lands by controlling the flow of water. Some of them are still in use today. Today, pipes are used to redirect water away from settlements, populated areas, agricultural lands, and infrastructure in many places. But some countries still use canals as diversion channels.
Ancient Mesopotamian civilisations, Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, with their advanced canals and irrigation systems, served the purpose of managing water levels and preventing destructive floods by acting as diversion channels for flood waters. Ancient Middle Eastern engineers constructed diversion channels that directed excess water away from populated regions, reducing the risk of inundation. Ancient American civilisations like Maya and Inca used to divert floodwaters away from settlements to ditches built in the banks of rivers to divert floodwaters into reservoirs for future use. Ancient civilisations in many parts of Africa, including Egypt, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, used canals as floodways to divert floodwaters away from settlements and agricultural land. Canals also helped in irrigation.
Canals and irrigation systems in some parts of ancient Indian civilisations used to redirect water from rivers into tanks for future domestic and agricultural use, thus preventing floods and droughts. The huge tanks discovered around the ancient settlements are probably a testament to this. Ancient Sri Lankan civilisation used diversion channels to redirect water to cascading connected tanks to prevent flooding by storing water for future use. From the second millennium BC, Chinese engineers constructed intricate diversion channels to redirect excess water away from settlements and agricultural land. These channels helped to distribute water more evenly and reduce the risk of flooding in vulnerable regions.
Levees, Dikes, Embankments, Bunds, Bundhararas, and Bisokotuva
Levees are raised embankments that are built along the banks of rivers and streams. Dikes are similar to levees, but they are typically smaller and are used to protect smaller areas, such as individual farms or homes. Levees are designed to prevent floodwaters from inundating land and protecting settlements from flooding. Levees were used in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Rome, and they continue to be used today. Many European civilizations, especially those residing near rivers prone to flooding, constructed dykes and levees to control water levels. For example, the Romans constructed embankments along the Tiber River in Italy. In the Netherlands, an extensive system of dikes and levees has been developed over centuries to protect low-lying areas from flooding. Most common structural measures used to manage floods in India was the construction of earthen embankments, known as bunds. Ancient Indian civilisations built earthen embankments known as bunds, bundhs or bandharas in regions prone to flooding. These structures served to control the flow of water, prevent flooding. Bunds were built along the banks of rivers and streams to divert floodwaters away from settlements and agricultural land. They were often very large and complex structures, and they required a great deal of labour to build. They were often constructed along rivers and streams to protect agricultural lands. These bunds acted as protective barriers, preventing floodwaters from inundating agricultural fields and settlements. Indus Valley Civilization embankments were strategically constructed along the banks of rivers like the Indus and Saraswati. The construction of levees and embankments along riverbanks was a common practice in ancient China. These structures were built to contain river water during periods of high flow, preventing floods and protecting nearby settlements and farmlands. Ancient Middle Eastern civilizations also built levees and dikes to protect their settlements from floods. Ancient African civilizations built levees and dikes to protect their settlements from floods. Levees and dikes have been found in many parts of Africa, including Egypt, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. The ancient Egyptians built dykes along the Nile.
Aqueducts
The Romans, known for their advanced engineering, developed aqueducts to transport water over long distances. While primarily designed for water supply, these aqueducts also played a role in flood control by managing water flow and preventing inundation of urban areas.
Amphitheatres for Flood-Prone Area Management
Amphitheaters were often strategically located in low-lying areas that were prone to flooding, in ancient Greek and Roman cities. The design of these amphitheaters allowed for efficient drainage during heavy rains, serving a dual purpose of entertainment and flood management by acting as a receiver for flood waters.
Draining And Sewer Systems
Advanced drainage and sewer systems helps to remove waste water and manage storm water run-off. These systems included underground channels and conduits designed to carry rainwater away from populated areas, reducing the risk of flooding. Draining and sewer systems are used by many ancient civilizations. Its use is visible in the artifacts of ancient American, European, Middle Eastern, African, Indian, and Chinese civilizations.
Draining and sewer systems are a necessary part of most modern cities and villages. Countries like China even come up with the roads which are porous to collect water to remove water fast into water recycling systems. This collected water will be useful in cities and villages for many purposes. Cities like Paris uses the flow of waste water in the sewage and draining systems to produce electricity. Regions with water scarcity can benefit from rain or snow melt water collection from the roof and reuse. Rain or snow melt water collected in to the ponds, tanks and wells constructed for the purpose can refill the aquifers underground to reduce the water scarcity in arid regions. This is done in Chennai, in India which suffers from water scarcity in the summer months by house owners.
Anicuts
Anicuts, or ancient water regulators, were constructed across rivers and streams to regulate water flow. These structures helped to control floods by diverting water during heavy rains. Anicuts were used to divide a river into many canals and directing the canals to the places like agricultural fields where it is needed. Kallanai Anicut is the fourth oldest water-diversion or water regulator structure in the world and the oldest in India. It is still in use. This Anicut along with its canals, ponds and fields channels provided water for a large arid region of South India for more than 1800 years. At the same time reducing the chance of inundation downstream.
The full spectrum of benefits of Anicuts along with its canals, ponds and field channels is multifaceted. The field channels help to irrigate millions of acres of land reducing the destructive effect of water shortage on crops. They also help to reduce the effect of droughts. The Anicuts along with its canals, ponds and field channels can capture excessive water released through rain fall or snow melt so reducing the chances of inundation in settlements and agricultural lands. If we use all Anicuts, canals, ponds and field channels to produce electricity then hydroelectric power production in the region can be increased.
Khadins
In arid and semi-arid regions, communities developed the khadin system, which involves the construction of embankments called khadin bunds to capture and store rainwater. This traditional community driven water harvesting method helps to recharge groundwater and provides water for agriculture and domestic use. Khadin System reduces the chances of inundation in the low-lying areas.
Natural Or Artificial Wetlands
Wetlands are areas of land that are saturated with water for at least part of the year. They can play an important role in flood control by absorbing and storing excess water. Wetlands can be artificial or natural. Artificial wetlands can be created, by designating low lying areas in a region as wetland and redirecting excess water from the farmlands and built-up areas all year around.
Terraced Fields
Terracing prevent soil erosion, landslides, reduce the effect of flooding due to water run-off and allowing for the cultivation of crops on steep terrain. In hilly, mountainous or slopped regions, terraced agriculture was employed to slow down water run-off and to prevent soil erosion. This technique involved creating levelled steps or levels on hills, allowing for more effective water management by capturing and retaining water and reducing the risk of flooding caused by water run-off. Terraces helped retain water on slopes, giving more time for soil absorption of water and for refilling the underground water resources, reducing the impact of flash floods and providing additional land for cultivation. Ancient Chinese, Inca, Greece, Africa, Rome, and Indian civilisations used terraced land for cultivation. Basmati rice cultivation in the terraces of Himalayas, make use of mineral rich water running down from the Himalayan Mountains.
Raised Fields
Ancient Japan, Korea, Kerala in India particularly in low-lying areas prone to flooding, constructed rice paddies with raised edges to control water levels. This traditional method helped regulate water flow and provided optimal conditions for rice cultivation.
The ancient Tiwanaku and Inca civilizations constructed raised fields. These fields were elevated above the water level and allowed for efficient drainage during heavy rains. The elevated fields also helped to prevent waterlogging and soil erosion.
Aquatic Plant Management
Aboriginal communities is engaged in the management of aquatic plants, which could impact water flow. It involved selective harvesting or other practices to maintain a balance in water ecosystems. Cleaning the waterways to avoid blocks to the water flow in the channels and canals is still practised in some countries. This practice will help to avoid flooding in built-up areas, during rainy or snow melt seasons.
Aquaculture
Indigenous communities in South America often integrated floodplains into their livelihood strategies. They developed fish weirs and other fishing techniques to harness the seasonal floods for fishing and created artificial ponds for aquaculture. Such practices can also impact the water flow and reduce the chance of flooding.
Continued in part 2 Click Here