The Levadas – The waterways of Madeira, Portugal

Madeira is famous for its levadas or artificial waterways, which are inserted into all types of slopes, whether forested and cultivated, through mountains or even in hostile cliffs. The term levada comes from the Portuguese word: levar, which means to carry. These levadas carry water both for agricultural purposes and for human consumption. In more recent times, water from the levadas helped generate electricity. The slope of these waterways is mostly gentle and gravity transports water from springs high up in the mountains to the entire island.The origin of the levadas can be traced back to the first settlers in Madeira, in the 15th – tenth century. In fact, the sugar cane fields needed more and more water. The control of the water flows allowed Madeira to become an important producer of white gold, a nickname for sugar. Later, the expansion of agriculture with Madeira vineyards and banana plantations required a constant expansion and improvement of the water channels.

Rocheiros
Due to the steep mountainous terrain, many rocheiros helped build the levadas. These brave men worked on ropes. They drilled the unfavorable basalt terrain to enable the construction of levadas. The tools used by the rocheiros were simple, which added to their efforts. These men put their lives at great risk to create the extraordinary levadas that are loved by locals and visitors alike.

Levadeiros
A levada is usually less than 50 cm high and wide. The narrowness can reduce water loss through evaporation. Often these irrigation channels also activated water mills and sawmills. Next to each levada there is a narrow footpath where nowadays you can walk and discover Madeira. Even today, levadeiros walk daily along these paths to repair, manage and time the distribution of water. Levadeiros have an important function that remains in modern times.

Above all, very strict and old laws regulate the use of levada water. The water is shared by many users, each paying a certain amount of water per day of the week and month. So a friendly advice , while walking along a levada , do not block or unblock the flow of water . There is most likely a reason.

Many other countries build waterways. Madeira’s levadas, however, are special. Madeirans collect water with great determination in inaccessible places and channel it for many kilometers, while blending levadas impeccably into the landscape. Interestingly, more than 200 levadas meander around the island.

Text and Photos: Rainer Georgius