Levada – A unique irrigation system in Madeira Island
- Levada Waterfall
Madeira is best known for and associated with its Levadas. Did you know that Madeira has the longest irrigation system in the world with almost 2150km of levadas? They are more popularly used as tourist attractions, providing visitors with and in-depth untouched indescribable view of Madeira´s natural beauty. Spring water splashes into these narrow stone gutters, some covered with stone slabs, flowing under the open sky, entwined around plants and trees. On a levada hike people are often reminded of the terrific work that was previously done in order to build these fantastic watercourses.
The Levada History
- Levada Tunnel
It was a very large task full of obstacles that the levada builders had to master in order to build a system that distributes water from the high mountains of the north to the south coast and across the entire island. The first channels were built in the second half of the 15th century. Arab and African slaves were brought in to do this work. Windmills for sugar can cultivation required a larger size of these water channels. After the stagnation of the sugar industry, the levadas were hardly further developed.
The Levada system today
- Levada in Rabaçal
Today, the levadas are especially used for tourism. Levadas are accessible, and are consistently maintained. In addition to the water channel is a foot path or a levada wall that serves as a path. There is a sense of real power in Madeira´s Levada walks. The Madeira Levada irrigation system continues to be used today. Also, three power plants are operated in Madeira with levada water.