Levada da Serra do Faial then and now

Preliminary note

If one studies maps and descriptions of the course of the Levada da Serra do Faial, there is considerable confusion about names, courses and how they fit into the history. After reading the Elucidario Madeirense I am therefore trying to bring some structure and clarity to the subject. The present situation can really only be understood if one keeps the historical development of the levadas in mind. Historical development of the Levada da Serra do Faial and the surrounding levadas

The historic Levada da Serra do Faial up to 1971

Madre of the historic Levada da Serra do Faial: Ribeira Seca N 32°45.500 W 16°55.200 ca. 1020 m a.s.l.

Course

The Levada da Serra do Faial can be divided into several sections:

• Section 1: From the Madre to the Ribeira da Faja da Nogueira

• Section 2: From the Ribeira da Faja da Nogueira to the Ribeira das Lajes:

• Section 3: From the Ribeira das Lajes around the lombo to the Ribeira do Juncal. Here the existing levada bed of the Levada das Accionistas was reused.

• Section 4: From the Ribeira do Juncal to the Ribeiro Frio. Here the levada bed of the Levada do Juncal was reused together with the Levada das Accionistas.

• Section 5: From the Ribeiro Frio to Lamaceiros. Here the levada bed of the Levada do Furado was reused together with the Levada do Juncal and the Levada das Accionistas.

• Section 6: From the levada divider in Lamaceiros to the levada divider in Lombo da Raiz. Here the levada bed of the Levada do Juncal was reused together with the Levada das Accionistas.

• Section 7: From Lombo da Raiz in a levada bed of its own as far as Choupana, partly open, partly piped

End

Choupana ca. 680 m a.s.l.

Function and use

Irrigation of the east coast as far as the Pico do Infante

Remarks

The water sources lay between the Ribeira Seca and the Ribeira das Lajes, below Feiteiras, and on the way from Lombo da Raiz to the Pico do Infante.

The present Levada da Serra do Faial from 1971

In 1971, with the building of the Faja da Nogueira power station, the situation in the Faja da Nogueira area changed fundamentally. The Levada da Serra do Faial was cut at the Pico da Nogueira and, together with the newly built Levada Nova do Juncal, connected to the forebay of the power station. The Levada da Serra do Faial was stripped of its water sources.

• Section 1: From the Madre to the Ribeira da Faja da Nogueira. Often called Levada do Pico Ruivo or Levada da Faja da Nogueira, but correctly still Levada da Serra do Faial. Shortly after the Madre a new tunnel was built; the old levada ran on the outside, quite exposed above the stream bed. Otherwise the course corresponds exactly to that of the historic Levada da Serra do Faial.

• Section 2: From the Ribeira da Faja da Nogueira to the Ribeira das Lajes. Shortly before the Pico da Nogueira the levada was cut, led into the newly built Pico da Nogueira tunnel and connected together with the to the forebay of the Faja da Nogueira power station. The section that led around the lombo to the Ribeira das Lajes was abandoned. The section from the Ribeira da Faja da Nogueira to the Pico da Nogueira tunnel is always correctly called Levada da Serra do Faial.

• Section 3: From the Ribeira das Lajes around the lombo to the Ribeira do Juncal. The Levada das Accionistas running here now had a Madre of its own and ran independently of the Levada da Serra do Faial. The Levada dos Accionistas carried on until about 1985, then it was abandoned because the maintenance was too great.

• Section 4: From the Ribeira do Juncal to the Ribeiro Frio. The Levada do Juncal and the Levada das Accionistas ran here independently of the Levada da Serra do Faial until 1985, in a shared levada bed; from 1985 only the Levada do Juncal flows here.

• Section 5: From the Ribeiro Frio to Lamaceiros. Here the Levada do Furado and the Levada do Juncal ran in a shared levada bed, independently of the Levada da Serra do Faial. This section is generally called Levada do Furado.

• Section 6: From the levada divider in Lamaceiros to the levada divider in Lombo da Raiz. Because the Levada da Serra do Faial delivers no share of water here, the water of the Levada do Furado flows here together with the water of the Levada do Juncal and the Levada das Accionistas in the bed of the Levada do Juncal, independently of the Levada da Serra do Faial. Generally, though, this section is already called Levada da Serra do Faial today.

• Section 7: From Lombo da Raiz in a levada bed of its own as far as Choupana, partly open, partly piped. This section is still called Levada da Serra do Faial today.

The water in sections 6 and 7 comes today exclusively from the Levada do Furado and is divided at the levada divider of Lamaceiros.

In 2010 the section from Lamaceiros to Quatro Estados was renovated; after that the levada was piped and connected to the water supply of the Santo da Serra area.