Hydraulic Fieldwork study

The survey was undertaken in the second half of May 2015 and extended to the lower reaches of the Upper Vjosa Valley, on both sides of the river. In addition to archaeologists, the team included an engineer specialized in hydro science and with an extensive experience in the area. Prior to the field work, a desk-based assessment was carried out providing important information about the natural hydro network system and traditional irrigation infrastructure in the study area.
The survey provided valuable information, which was significant in producing the first complete map of the hydraulic network system and the related complementary structures. Additionally, an initial chronological classification of their construction period and typologies was achieved.

Moreover, several water irrigation facilities used at the domestic level for irrigating small gardens were also recorded in the historical villages of the valley.

Today, only a small portion of this complex traditional system is still in use. This decline is primarily due to the abandonment of agriculture, high scale of migration, and a lack of proper management. As a result, erosion processes have significantly increased, leading to landscape deterioration in certain locations in the area.