Aljibes are a water collection and storage cistern. They come in many different shapes and sizes. Some collect rainwater run off from roofs and gardens for use in the home. Others collect natural spring water or ground water for use in an agricultural setting for crops and livestock.
Springs, Wells and Municipal Storage.
There are no rivers or lakes on Lanzarote, but that does not mean there are no natural sources of water. One of the best places to see the varied methods of water collection and extraction is in the municipality of Haria in the north of the island.
Haria
Haria has a rich history intrinsically linked to its need for water. It sits on a plateaux below and on the leeward side of the Famara Massif. There are many Wells or Pozos and Aljibes in Haria both in private houses and for communal use. These Pozos are sunk into the natural aquifer upon which the village is built. There are three main Barrancos or Ravines which run through the village. The three Barrancos feed into a now disused water storage, built by Pedro Lasso Mendez in 1958 and forms part of the Punta Mujeres -Haria walk. At the head of Barranco Elvira Sanchez one can find evidence of long abandoned spring fed cisterns.
Tabayesco
Above the village of Tabayesco is the Fuente de Chafariz, which is a natural spring. The spring was exploited by the villagers for generations, but is now in disuse. Tabayesco is in the next valley south of Haria, also on the leeward side of the Famara Massif.
Above Fuente de Chafariz are water extraction galleries. These water tunnels were an attempt to further exploit the aquifer. However it is unclear how successful they were.
Municipal Water Projects
There are many examples of such projects on Lanzarote. One of the most ambitious was the extraction gallery of Famara and subsequent pipeline across the island to Arrecife. The following walks contain evidence of this great undertaking.
Another grand example are the cisterns and collection channels carved out of Montaña Blanca and Montaña Guatisea.
The last of the Water Galleries at Guatisea were completed in the early 60s. A series of sluices and pipes directed the water into the centre of Tias and San Bartolome, where it was distributed by a local guard.
Aljibes – Links
There are a number of external links concerning the history of water on Lanzarote.
The sites are in Spanish, but translate easily with most modern browsers. There is also a growing history section on this website.
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