A historical example of hydraulic exploitation in semi-arid environment

The hydraulic system of Santa Catalina del Monte (Santo Ángel – Murcia) is a unique example of the relationship between humans and the environment in the Betic reliefs and semiarid Mediterranean climate, revealing the entity and characteristics of human actions for collection and distribution of groundwater and spring water.

During several year we photographed this old hydraulic system. Here a some of the photographs.

Hydraulic System Santa Catalina del Monte

 

The pluviometric indigence that characterises the semiarid environment of the Southeast of the Iberian Peninsula did not prevent the development of a continuous historical settlement on the north face of the southern sierras that flank the Murcian pre-coastal depression at the height of the city of Murcia. For more information continue reading the article, written by Pablo Giménez Águila, on the website of the University of Murcia magazines.um.es (Spanish)

 

Hydraulic System Santa Catalina del Monte

The rest of the photographs of the system can be seen in the photo gallery (Spanish)

 

Documentary “The hydraulic system of Santa Catalina del Monte” (Spanish)

Video about a historical example of hydraulic exploitation in semi-arid environment. The full video of Valentín Sarabia can be seen on YouTube, click here! The article and some photographs can be seen and read in this article “Hydraulic system of Santa Catalina del Monte in Santo Ángel”.