The Spanish Acequias of San Antonio

This is the first book on the extensive Spanish-era acequia system that supplied water to San Antonio for nearly two centuries. Using techniques brought to Spain from North Africa by the Moors, this 50-mile system of acequias—irrigation ditches—used a variety of ingenious techniques such as hollowed logs, diversion dams and stone aqueducts to coax water from San Pedro Springs and the San Antonio River to homes and fields. It was perhaps the most extensive such network within the presentday United States. Just south of San Antonio, the Espada Mission acequia and its 1740s aqueduct have remained in continuous use.