RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Fluvial itineraries and old cartography for the location and inventory of the historical water-powered industry in the province of Soria (Spain)
A1 Redondo Plaza, Alberto Gregorio
A1 Bachiller Martínez, Jesús María
A1 Lorenzo Celorrio, Ángel
A1 Sanz Elorza, Mario
A1 Majan Navalon, Raúl
A1 Barrena Medina, Ana María
A1 Cabrera Montero, Ana María
A1 Sanz Molina, Lidia
A1 Pérez Gallardo, Lucía Luisa
A1 Gómez-Redondo, Susana
A1 Obregón, Lilian Johanna
A1 Encinas Manchado, Marisol
A1 Hernández Callejo, Luis
K1 Water-powered industries
K1 Historical watermills
K1 Cultural heritage
K1 Historical cartography
K1 Industrial archaeology
K1 Hydraulic infrastructure
K1 GIS
K1 3305.17 Edificios Industriales y Comerciales
AB Water-powered industries played a crucial role in the development of ancient economies, as waterwheels were likely the first mechanical energy source operated by humans. Although many of these infrastructures are now abandoned, they hold significant potential for energy generation, tourism, cultural and educational purposes. This paper presents a methodology for locating and cataloguing historical water-powered industries using various information sources. The two primary sources are twentieth century historical maps and fluvial itineraries, which detail the locations of water-powered industries along the main rivers and tributaries of Spain during the nineteenth century. These sources complement each other, and together with previous studies, historical aerial images, and oral testimonies, they have enabled the creation of a database of 483 historical water-powered industries within a 10,306 km2 territory in the Spanish province of Soria. The data were managed using QGIS software, which also organized field trips for cataloguing these infrastructures. Among the identified typologies, flour watermills account for 82% of the structures, followed by power plants, sawmills, fulling mills, and other water-powered factories. Field visits have further helped identify industries with high potential, as well as uncover elements of significant heritage value, including waterwheels, old turbines, machinery, weirs, and canals.
PB Springer
SN 1877-7236
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/80001
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/80001
LA eng
NO Water history, 2025 [in press]
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 22-nov-2025