“What is an Aquaduct?” February 17, 2009
Posted by askpari in Big City, Big Lakes, Big Rivers, Flows by Gravity, Great Metal Siphons, Huge Steel Pipes, Laid above ground, Lots of Water, Man-made, Slope Downhills.Tags: Above Ground, Across Valley, Aqueduct, Bucket, Canals, City, Downhill, Gravity, Lake City, Lakes, Latin Word, Man-made Channel, Metal Siphons, Pumps, Reservoir City, Reservoirs, Rivers, Rubber Hose, Siphon Water, Steel Pipes, Tunnels, Under Rivers, Water, Water over Hill
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A big city needs a lot of water. Some cities are near big lakes or rivers. They find it easy to get enough water. The lakes or reservoirs upon which a city depends for water are many miles from the city. Then aqueduct must be built. The word “aqueduct” comes from two Latin words which mean “water” and “to lead.” An aqueduct, then, is a man-made channel to carry water from a lake or reservoir city.
Some aqueducts are huge steel pipes laid above ground. Others may be canals, open troughs or tunnels. Most aqueducts gradually slope downhill so that the water flows by gravity. In some cases, great metal siphons carry the water over hills, under rivers and across valleys, in much the same way you might siphon water from a bucket with a rubber hose. Pumps may force the water through the aqueduct where it will not flow by gravity.
Photo courtesy: ncl
