Acequia Mayor Aljufía
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| Acequia Mayor Aljufía | |
|---|---|
 Remains of the Molino Bajo de la Pólvora or Canalaos on the Acequia Mayor Aljufía, between Guadalupe and Rincón de Beniscornia. | |
| Location | Region of Murcia, Spain |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 27 km (17 miles) |
| Status | Active |
| Geography | |
| Start point | Contraparada |
| End point | Huerta de Orihuela |
The Acequia Mayor Aljufía is one of the two major Acequia (irrigation canals) that structure the traditional irrigation network of the Huerta de Murcia (Region of Murcia, Spain), drawing its water from the Segura River. It is one of the most representative irrigation systems in the country.
While the Aljufía supplies the orchards on the northern side of the Segura—running parallel to it—the Acequia Mayor Alquibla serves those on the south. The name "Aljufía" comes from the Arabic al-Yawfiyya, meaning "the northern one."
The canal takes its water—like the Alquibla—from the so-called Azud Mayor or Contraparada, located between the villages of Javalí Nuevo and Javalí Viejo, at the point where the Segura enters the Guadalentín Valley.
It supplies water to the entire Northern Major Irrigation Area, just as the Alquibla provides for the Southern Major Irrigation Area.
The canal extends for 27 kilometers—compared to the 22 kilometers of the Alquibla—passing through the villages of Javalí Viejo, La Ñora (where the famous noria is located), Rincón de Beniscornia, Guadalupe, La Albatalía, and La Arboleja. It also crosses the urban area of Murcia, although today it does so through underground pipes; in the past, sections of the canal could be seen in the open within the city.
After crossing Murcia (from the Santa Ana water distributor), it takes on different names, including Benetúcer, Benefiar, and Benizar. In its final stretch, it merges with the Raal Viejo or Beneluz canal, extending to the orchards of Orihuela.
Many secondary canals branch off from the Acequia Mayor Aljufía, such as Regaliciar, Beniscornia, Churra La Vieja, Alfatego, Belchí, Benipotrox, Béndame Mayor and Menor, Arboleja, Caravija, Zaraiche, Nelva, and Casteliche. These form part of the complex network of distribution channels for "live water" and drainage channels (azarbes) that return water to the main flow as "dead water."