Espada Acequia
Encyclopedia
The Espada Acequia, or Piedras Creek Aqueduct, was built by Franciscan
friars in 1731 in what is now San Antonio, Texas
, United States
. It was built to supply irrigation
water to the lands near Mission San Francisco de la Espada
, today part of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
. The acequia
is still in use today and is an Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and a National Historic Landmark
.
, or acequia madre, continues to carry water to the mission and its former farmlands. This water is still used by residents living on these neighboring lands.
The initial survival of a new mission depended upon the planting and harvesting of crops
. In south central Texas, intermittent rainfall and the need for a reliable water source made the design and installation of an acequia system a high priority. Irrigation was so important to Spanish
colonial settlers that they measured cropland in suertes -the amount of land that could be watered in one day.
The use of acequias was originally brought to the arid regions of Spain by the Romans
and the Moors
. When Franciscans missionaries arrived in the desert Southwest they found the system worked well in the hot, dry environment. In some areas, like New Mexico, it blended in easily with the irrigation system already in use by the Puebloan Native Americans
.
In order to distribute water to the missions along the San Antonio River
, Franciscan missionaries oversaw the construction of seven gravity-flow ditches, dam
s, and at least one aqueduct
--a 15 miles (24.1 km) network that irrigated approximately 3500 acres (14.2 km²) of land.
Espada, unlike nearly all the other missions in Texas, was a success. Originally put in place by Spain as a picket intended to delineate a northern frontier, most of the missions were only temporarily successful as community centers. The Alamo, by the time of the famous battle in 1836, had already been abandoned for three generations. The acequia not only conducted potable water and irrigation, but also powered a mill at Espada. Mission Espada has survived from its beginnings to the present day as a community center that supports a school and a church.
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
friars in 1731 in what is now San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was built to supply irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
water to the lands near Mission San Francisco de la Espada
Mission San Francisco de la Espada
Mission San Francisco de la Espada was a Roman Catholic mission established by Spain near San Antonio de Bexar in northern New Spain in 1731 to convert local Native Americans to Christianity and solidify Spanish territorial claims in the New World against encroachment from France...
, today part of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park preserves four of the five Spanish frontier missions in San Antonio, Texas. These outposts were established by Catholic religious orders to spread Christianity among the local natives...
. The acequia
Acequia
An acequia or séquia is a community-operated waterway used in Spain and former Spanish colonies in the Americas for irrigation. Particularly in Spain, the Andes, northern Mexico, and the modern-day American Southwest, acequias are usually historically engineered canals that carry snow runoff or...
is still in use today and is an Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
Irrigation system
Mission Espada's acequia (irrigation) system can still be seen today. The main ditchDitch
A ditch is usually defined as a small to moderate depression created to channel water.In Anglo-Saxon, the word dïc already existed and was pronounced 'deek' in northern England and 'deetch' in the south. The origins of the word lie in digging a trench and forming the upcast soil into a bank...
, or acequia madre, continues to carry water to the mission and its former farmlands. This water is still used by residents living on these neighboring lands.
The initial survival of a new mission depended upon the planting and harvesting of crops
Crop (agriculture)
A crop is a non-animal species or variety that is grown to be harvested as food, livestock fodder, fuel or for any other economic purpose. Major world crops include maize , wheat, rice, soybeans, hay, potatoes and cotton. While the term "crop" most commonly refers to plants, it can also include...
. In south central Texas, intermittent rainfall and the need for a reliable water source made the design and installation of an acequia system a high priority. Irrigation was so important to Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
colonial settlers that they measured cropland in suertes -the amount of land that could be watered in one day.
The use of acequias was originally brought to the arid regions of Spain by the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
and the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
. When Franciscans missionaries arrived in the desert Southwest they found the system worked well in the hot, dry environment. In some areas, like New Mexico, it blended in easily with the irrigation system already in use by the Puebloan Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
.
In order to distribute water to the missions along the San Antonio River
San Antonio River
The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in north central San Antonio, approximately four miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the Guadalupe River about ten miles from...
, Franciscan missionaries oversaw the construction of seven gravity-flow ditches, dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s, and at least one aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
--a 15 miles (24.1 km) network that irrigated approximately 3500 acres (14.2 km²) of land.
Espada, unlike nearly all the other missions in Texas, was a success. Originally put in place by Spain as a picket intended to delineate a northern frontier, most of the missions were only temporarily successful as community centers. The Alamo, by the time of the famous battle in 1836, had already been abandoned for three generations. The acequia not only conducted potable water and irrigation, but also powered a mill at Espada. Mission Espada has survived from its beginnings to the present day as a community center that supports a school and a church.