A short history of the water and society in the region of Vélez Blanco, East Andalusia

The network of irrigation canals and reservoirs in the Los Velez region in Southern Spain has existed for centuries and is documented as tangible cultural heritage. But the region’s ‘water culture’ also has an intangible aspect that involves water-related management, conflicts and jurisdiction. This paper traces the water-related history of the city and region of Velez Blanco from the Muslim period through the medieval era and later centuries until today, and embeds it in the development of legal history and the jurisdiction of water issues. We conclude with a reference to the twenty-first century and the value of historical and archival sources, as well as an appeal to found a museum and add the region to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.