AQUEDUCT - 6 reference results
aqueduct [Lat.,=conveyor of water], channel or trough built to convey water, chiefly for providing a densely populated region with a supply of freshwater. The flow in aqueducts is ordinarily by means of gravity, although pumps are often used. Some aqueducts consist of tunnels cut through rock, while others are conduits made of some sturdy material. For example, the conduit may consist of steel pipe, concrete, wooden staves, sheet-metal flume, or any of these in combination, the flow being controlled by slide gate and needle valves. Aqueducts enable many cities in the United States to obtain water from a considerable distance. Los Angeles, for example, draws much of its water from the Owens River by means of an aqueduct more than 230 mi (370 km) long. Most of the supply for New York City is conducted through the Catskill Aqueduct and the Croton Aqueduct. The topography of the land influences the design of the aqueduct; usually part of the structure is above ground and part below. Where feasible, an aqueduct may generate hydroelectric power as a byproduct of its operation. Typical of such use is the aqueduct system for Springfield, Mass., which generates power at the foot of Cobble Mt. in addition to supplying the city with water. Aqueducts were employed from early times, probably first in Mesopotamia. Their construction reached a peak of skill in Roman times. Portions of some of the original Roman aqueducts are still standing.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright © 2004.
Licensed from Columbia University Press
Licensed from Columbia University Press
Delaware Aqueduct, SE N.Y., 85 mi (137 km) long, carrying water from the Rondout Reservoir, Sullivan co., SE into the New York City water system at the Hillview Reservoir, Westchester co.; built 1937-62. The tunnel taps the Delaware River basin and supplies more than half of New York City's water. The aqueduct's deep, gravity-flow construction requires little maintenance. The Rondout Reservoir receives water from other Delaware basin reservoirs through a tunnel system. In 1965 the aqueduct was extended; its total distance is now 105 mi (170 km).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright © 2004.
Licensed from Columbia University Press
Licensed from Columbia University Press
Croton Aqueduct, 38 mi (61 km) long, SE N.Y., carrying water from the Croton River basin to New York City; built 1837-42. It was one of the earliest modern aqueducts in the United States. Water impounded by New Croton Dam (completed 1905) is channeled S to the Bronx, for most of its length in a covered trench along the surface. Water is carried over the Harlem River into Manhattan by Highbridge, a Roman-type aqueduct bridge. New Croton Aqueduct (built 1885-91), 30.5 mi (49 km) long, supplements the flow of Croton Aqueduct. Deep underground tunnels, including one under the Harlem River, channel water from this aqueduct to New York City.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright © 2004.
Licensed from Columbia University Press
Licensed from Columbia University Press
Catskill Aqueduct: see Ashokan Reservoir, N.Y.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright © 2004.
Licensed from Columbia University Press
Licensed from Columbia University Press
Conduit built to carry water from its source to a main distribution point. Ancient Rome's aqueduct system, an extraordinary feat of engineering, brought water to the city from as far as 57 mi (92 km) away. Only a portion of the Roman aqueducts utilized the familiar stone arch; most were underground conduits made of stone or terra-cotta pipe. Modern aqueduct systems employ cast iron or steel. Seealso water-supply system.
Learn more about aqueduct with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
HighBeam Research, Inc. © Copyright 2009.
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
