Wednesday, September 06, 2006

The Skilled Irrigator

Irrigation existed before civilization. Irrigation was one of the fathers (or mothers, if you prefer) of civilization.

The Skilled Irrigator was already a model of righteousness at the beginning of Sumerian civilization, around 8000 BC. The highest god in many early agricultural cultures was praised as "irrigator of all things."

The root of irrigation means "to lead water to, to refresh."

Unless you are in agriculture, you probably ignore irrigation, or maybe think about it only as a "consumer of water."

But you are dependent upon irrigation for what you eat, and for much of what you wear.

Irrigation is close in Mesilla, which still has its partnership with the land. Many houses have 15 to 30 pecan trees and irrigation rights from the Rio Grande.

Irrigation canals thread the Village. Here's some of what you can see if you look.


Cement canals prevent water loss into the ground, one of the goals of a Skilled Irrigator.


A control gate.


Canal and gate.


Gate control.

Tags:

Labels: ,

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home