The Inca aqueducts refer to any of a series of aqueducts built by the Inca people. The Inca built such structures to increase arable land and provide drinking water and baths to the population. Due to water scarcity in the Andean region, advanced water management was necessary for the Inca to thrive and expand along much of the coast of Peru. Such structures, some of which survive today, show the advanced hydraulic and civil engineering capabilities of the Inca.
The water came mostly from nearby rivers but was also brought down from freshwater springs on mountains. The ancients discovered that if they diverted certain amounts of water from rivers, then they didn't have to worry about scarce rain and drought and they could also stimulate plants to grow faster by getting enough water in time. Workers dug tunnels through mountains and cut channels into cliffs to complete the project.
In seasons when too much mountain snow melted, the floodwaters were carried to huge masonry reservoirs for storage, channeling water to their cities and religious centers.[1][2]
- ^ "Inca and Aztec Aqueducts". Archived from the original on 2008-04-27. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
- ^ "aqueduct :: Inca and Aztec Aqueducts - Britannica Student Encyclopaedia". Archived from the original on 2008-04-27. Retrieved 2008-03-10.