Well

Canals were a common feature of regions without major waterways or where the annual flow was insufficient to supply farms and communities with the water needed to sustain life. Whatever the source, water often needed to be carried great distances to reach the people, animals and farmland that depended on it. As a precious commodity in hot climates, water control was a matter of vital importance. Reservoirs were used to store water for particularly dry times. Eventually, sophisticated water channelling systems were developed and carefully graded to manage flow. Once the water had reached its destination, sluices directed the water to the surrounding farms.