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Glossary of words relating to the aqueduct with pronunciation key:
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acequia (ah-say-kaya)
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Moorish-Spanish word describing an irrigation system.
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acequia afuera (ah-say-keya ah-foo-eh-ra)
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Ditch which served as a main water supply to outer fields, smaller than the acequia madre (mother ditch), yet supplied smaller canals eventually returning to the river.
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acequia en medio (ah-say-keya n meh-diio)
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The middle ditch. It supplied smaller canals in the middle fields.
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acequia madre (ah-say-keya mah-drea)
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The Main ditch or canal of the acequia system.
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azud (ah-zood)
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A low simply constructed dam designed to raise the water level of a river for irrigation purposes.
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aqueduct
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A a structure conveying a water channel over a depression or river.
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conoa (ka-no-wa)
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A hollowed-out log through which water flowed.
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saca de agua (sah-ka-deh-ah-gua)
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A location on a river suitable for the outlet from which water was drawn to feed the acequia.
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desague (deh-za-guay)
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A small canal which collects the excess water from the labores or talerals ditch for return to the river or another canal.
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dula (doo-lah)
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One day of watering. The amount of water allotted to an individual was measured in dulas or 1/2 dulas. Dula means "rotation" or "turn".
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head gate
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The main gate nearest the river in an acequia, used to regulate the flow of water.
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sluice gate
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A gate that controls the flow of water in an irrigation system.
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labores (lah-boh-res)
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Cultivated farmland.
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aguador (ah-gua-dore)
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The ditch director. The water master who apportioned water from tne acequias.
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mayordomo (mah-yor-doe-mo)
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The ditch director. The water master who apportioned water from tne acequias.
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presa (preh-sa)
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A Dam.
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suertes (swear-te)
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A plot of land, the lots were determined by a drawing, and the term suerte means "luck".
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surcos (su-oor-kos)
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Small furrows which carried water from the lateral.
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dioptra (diah-pahtra)
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An equal-lateral triangle shaped tool to measure the grade of the ditches through the use of a string and plumb bob handging frm the apex of the triangle.
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