Levada da Serra da Santa Cruz

Preliminary note

This levada no longer exists in its original form. If one compares maps from 1942 and 1956, one comes to the conclusion that the Levada da Serra da Santa Cruz is identical with the end branches of the Levada do Juncal and the Levada dos Accionistas (see also Historical development of the Levada da Serra do Faial and the surrounding levadas). It seems, then, to have come out of these 2 levadas when levada-building was nationalised. After the Levada Nova de Santa Cruz was built in 1966, the feeder branches from the Levada da Serra do Faial were taken out of service, or kept in part for the local water supply. The end branches are supplied today by the Levada Nova de Santa Cruz and the Levada Nova de Santa Cruz or the Levada do Moinho da Serra. The description below therefore applies to the historic course of the levada, which no longer exists in this form.

Madrei

Madre 1: Levada da Serra do Faial, or more correctly the Levada do Juncal at the levada divider at Lomba da Raiz N 32°43.950 W 16°50.450 ca. 830 m a.s.l.

Madre 2: Levada da Serra do Faial N 32°43.550 W 16°50.480 ca. 820 m a.s.l.

Course

The northern feeder is mostly piped and runs in a gravel track; old levada remains can still be found now and then. Here it meets the ER-102 and continues to the junction with the southern feeder.

The southern feeder also runs piped in a gravel track. Here it meets the ER-102, and shortly afterwards it flows in the open for a few metres here.

The two feeders form the main branch. This runs piped along the old course of the Levada do Juncal and along the ER-207 to the roundabout in Santo da Serra; here it flows in the open for a few metres through the middle of the roundabout. On, more or less along the Rua de S. Sebastao, following the course of the end branch of the Levada dos Accionistas, then east into Achada da Morena, first horizontally, then vertically again along the south-western branch of the Levada do Juncal, crossing the ER-207 twice (here the lower crossing, and also the crossing with the Levada do Moinho da Serra).

It divides into 2 end branches. The western branch drops steeply, meets the Rua Nova de Janeiro here, continues on the other side of the road to just before the airport here.

The eastern branch goes first horizontally, then vertically to the crossing with the ER-207, then steeply on to the end on the ER-207. Beyond that, possibly via small levadas, in the road ditch and in pipes.

End

Western end branch: above the airport track ca. 70 m a.s.l.

Eastern end branch: Terca ca. 160 m a.s.l.

Function and use

Historic levada supplying the area around Santa Cruz, which a

Access

• Levada da Serra do Faial

• ER-102

• Rua de S. Sebastao

• ER-207

Condition

For the most part piped or ruined; old levada remains are to be found on the gravel tracks.

I suspect that the whole feeder area is ruined or partly piped. From the crossing with the Levada Nova de Santa Cruz, some of the old end branches are supplied either by the Levada Nova de Santa Cruz or by the Levada do Moinho da Serra.

Remarks

The levada first appears on the IGeoE of 1956. Before that, the end branches of the Levada do Juncal and the Levada dos Accionistas correspond to the later course of the Levada da Serra.