Levada dos Accionistas

History and development

The Levada dos Accionistas is an independent old levada, built around 1840, that takes its water from the Ribeira das Lajes. From its end in the Ribeira do Juncal it uses the channel bed of the Levada do Juncal as far as Ribeiro Frio, from there the channel bed of the Levada do Furado as far as Lamaceiros, then continues in the channel bed of the Levada do Juncal to Lombo da Raiz and on to Santo da Serra, and from there in its own channel bed towards Santa Cruz.

Between 1905 and 1971 the channel bed of the Levada dos Accionistas was also used by the historic Levada da Serra do Faial, which no longer exists in its original form. The water was divided at the Caixa Divisoria (water divider) in Lamaceiros and at Lombo de Raiz and Santo da Serra according to the volumes of the individual levadas (in Santo da Serra 2/3 to the end branches of the Levada do Juncal, 1/3 to the new Endast of the Levada dos Accionistas).

In 1971 the Levada dos Accionistas received an autonomous Madre after the inflow from the historic Levada da Serra do Faial ceased.

In 1985 the Levada dos Accionistas had to be abandoned because of the difficulty of maintenance. Water from the Ribeira das Lajes has since been led through the long tunnel of the Levada Nova do Juncal into the valley of the Ribeira do Juncal and thus replaces the Levada dos Accionistas.

The whole history, development and naming in this region is somewhat confusing and can only be understood in a wider context. That is why Daniel tried to bring some structure to it and summarised findings from the Elucidario Madeirense of 1921 (first edition) and 1940 (second edition) on a separate page: Historical development of the Levada da Serra do Faial and the surrounding levadas.

Originally the construction of the Levada dos Accionistas was planned in 1830 by the “Socieda da Nova Levada do Furado” with the aim of building a levada from the Ribeira das Lajes to Pico do Infante. Financial and geographical reasons prevented building the stretch from Lombo da Raiz to Funchal. The extension to the Ribeira das Lajes was built, however, and the water was led via the corresponding Endast from Santo da Serra to Santa Cruz.

Water source and course

Madre:i Ribeira das Lajes N 32°44.000 W 16°54.600 ca. 984 m a.s.l.

Madre in the valley of the Ribeira das Lajes; a sensational course in the steep walls around the lombo between the Ribeira das Lajes and do Juncal with many gallery and tunnel sections; inflow to the Madre of the Levada do Juncal.

A new Endast (Levada Nova) was also built from Santo da Serra to Santa Cruz. That stretch is mostly piped today and is called Levada da Serra; parts of it also follow a different alignment from the Levada dos Accionistas.

End: Ribeira do Juncal N 32°43.900 W 16°54.660 ca. 960 m a.s.l. / Santa Cruz.

Function and use

• Originally: water supply for the Endast of the Levada dos Accionistas from the divider at Santo da Serra towards Santa Cruz (see Historical development).
• Since 1985: supply to the Levada do Juncal via the pipe in the tunnel of the Levada Nova do Juncal, to the Levada do Furado, the Levada da Portela, the Levada da Serra do Faial from Lamaceiros and the Levada da Serra da Santa Cruz.

Access

• The end can be reached via the small gorge from the Madre of the Levada Nova do Juncal (off-path, only in dry weather!).
• Via the Levada do Juncal.
• The Madre lies inaccessible in the gorge of the Ribeira das Lajes.

Condition

Taken out of service in 1985; the last tunnel can be reached from the Madre of the Levada Nova do Juncal; further walking is not possible.

Notes

Because of its course in almost vertical walls this levada was truly borderline for construction and maintenance. The whole mountainside here is extremely prone to rockfall, and it is no surprise that as engineers’ know-how grew this structure was replaced by a tunnel.

Although the levada has been physically out of service since 1985, it is functionally replaced by the water pipe on the Levada Nova do Juncal. The Endast was integrated into the Levada da Serra, whose condition today is unclear (piped, diverted, out of service).