riegas

Riegas refers to a system of irrigation channels or to the act of watering within agricultural practices. In Spain and Latin America, the term commonly designates the network of earthen or masonry ditches that distribute water from a source to crops, often arranged along terraces or parcel boundaries. These channels are typically small-scale, laid out to use gravity to move water from a main canal, river, or acequia to field plots. A riega can be a single channel or part of a broader irrigation system.

Construction and operation: Riegas are historically excavated trenches that can be lined or left as earth; water flow is controlled by simple structures such as weirs, gates, or turning basins. Maintenance includes clearing sediment, repairing eroded banks, and adjusting flow during droughts or floods. In some regions, legal or customary arrangements govern water rights and riega maintenance.

Regional notes: The term is widely used in southern and central Spain, notably in Aragon, Valencia, and Murcia, as well as in Andean and some Latin American rural areas where traditional irrigation remains common. In Portuguese-speaking areas, similar terms exist but with different local words.

See also: acequia, irrigation canal, furrow irrigation.