The sluices and channels are prepared in advance to be either opened or closed, depending on whether water arrives from the river or the reservoir. These components are constructed and maintained using locally available materials and are regularly repaired to ensure their continued functionality. Wooden planks are manually placed into steel guides or slots within stone walls to regulate the flow of water into each crop dam. Controlling both the volume of water and the duration it remains in the dam is essential to prevent overwatering and avoid suffocating the crops. Labour during a flooding event can be physically demanding due to the strength and unpredictability of the floodwaters, as well as the presence of debris – such as large branches – carried downstream by the river.
- Project: Saaidam flood-irrigation system
- Climate: Mediterranean climate
- Year: Since ca. 1800s
- Water type: Freshwater
- Landscape: River landscape
- Use or Function: Flood irrigation