Tecnología digital en la localización del sistema de captación de agua de la fuente del Cuadrado en Montilla (Córdoba, España) en el siglo XIX

Abstract

[EN] The fortuitous discovery of part of the pipeline system that supplied the town of Montilla (Spain) in the late 19th century, which was made in September 2017 by the city s fire service, originated an academic study in this regard. The engineer José Marí­a Sánchez-Molero y Lleguet designed this canalization, from the fountain of the Cuadrado to some tanks located in the water s house (Montilla) in 1868. There are no remains of these constructions, except those found by the firefighters. The aim of this study is to collect, analyse and interpret all the existing graphic and documentary evidence in this regard, perform a 3D modelling of the catchment system at the fountain based on the compiled documentation and determine the terrain s topography. Indeed, the virtual location on the digital model of the terrain based on the plans of Sánchez-Molero can help archaeologists to discover the true location, highlighting the suitability and usefulness of this research work.The catchment system designed and executed by Sánchez-Molero is a system of ditches. These are made up of a series of ditches filled with gravel, arranged according to the slope in the shape of a herringbone, surrounding the fountain of Cuadrado (perfectly represented in the plan of Sánchez-Molero). Moreover, there is another main ditch attached to the wall of the dam. The system was designed to capture the waters of the fountains or runoff water from the adjoining orchards. It is a system based on gravel-filled trenches with no drainage pipes at the bottom, which could have led to its depletion, due to the possible cementation of spaces between gravels. For this reason, in 1902, other sources were sought, as the water of the Cuadrado was scarce. The system, in addition to the drains and the dam wall, consists of a container or collector, from which the water comes out through the fountain, and through a pipe located on one side of said container.The catchment system is arranged along with a road system that is also indicated in the map of Sánchez-Molero. This distribution of roads still exists today. Therefore, the modelled system on the real scale can be oriented in the digital terrain model (DTM) of the corresponding plot. The location of the Cuadrado coincides with a well that currently exists. The study of the slopes and the runoff water flow lines coming from the fountains suggests that, in this arrangement of the catchment system, the drains intercept the course of water coming from all the upwelling areas, where the slope is steep (8-12%), i.e. twice as steep as in the high areas and orchards, where the average slope is 3-6%.The location in the plan and on the terrain profile of the pipe that carried the water from the outlet of the Cuadrado reservoir to the water house was analysed. The water rise was found to be produced by the communicating vessels effect, due to the coincidence of the heights of the terrain. From there, the water was pumped to the water house. There was the register, located at the lowest point of elevation in the stream, currently called Cuadrado, and the stopcock, where the Flauta Fountain is located today. The pipeline follows the route of the Manantiales (which means water springs in Spanish).The obtained results can help archaeologists to know the true location of the Cuadrado fountain, and disseminate the cultural hydric heritage of Montilla, promoting touristic routes. Water resource tourism is already a reality in many cities, including Montilla. The cultural dissemination of water resources is supported by various institutions, through the routes and the many sources and watering holes that the town owns. Among these routes, we can mention the long route of the fountains of Montilla. This route runs along the path of the Manantiales, following the pipeline map of Sánchez-Molero, which passes through the water house, the Flauta Fountain is located today. The pipeline follows the route of the “Manantiales” (which means “water springs” in Spanish).

[ES] El hallazgo fortuito de parte de la canalización que abastecía a la población de Montilla (España) desde finales del s. XIX, y que tuvo lugar en septiembre de 2017 por el servicio de bomberos de la ciudad, originó un estudio académico al respecto. El ingeniero José María Sánchez-Molero y Lleguet proyectó dicha canalización, desde el manantial Fuente del Cuadrado hasta unos depósitos situados en la Casa de las Aguas (Montilla) en 1868. De dichas construcciones no quedan restos, excepto los encontrados por los bomberos y Ayuntamiento. Los objetivos de la investigación consisten en la recogida, análisis e interpretación de toda la documentación gráfica y documental existente al respecto; la modelización del sistema de captación en la Fuente del Cuadrado y del terreno circundante; y su ubicación virtual sobre el modelo digital del terreno (MDT) en base a los planos de Sánchez-Molero y a las características de la superficie topográfica (cotas, pendientes, disposición de las líneas de talud). El análisis de estos datos justifica el sitio y orientación de todo el sistema de captación en la zona de los manantiales; el discurrir de la tubería, así como la ubicación de la casa de las bombas, ya que el agua descendía por gravedad desde su salida en el depósito del sistema de captación hasta el arroyo del Cuadrado, para subir por vasos comunicantes hasta los 334 m donde se situaban las bombas para impulsar el agua hasta los depósitos de suministro. La ubicación propuesta ayudaría a los arqueólogos a su hallazgo real y a su difusión cultural entre el público general; máxime cuando por dicha ubicación pasa la ruta larga de las fuentes de Montilla. El uso del modelo generado permitiría al senderista conocer in situ, mediante tecnologías de realidad virtual y aumentada, el sistema de captación diseñado por el ilustre ingeniero, impulsando el turismo cultural del agua.