The end of the past year, for our organization, was marked by the completion of an action that we loved very much, and that stands out in our 16-year history, an action for the surface waters of Andros.

Titled “Traditional water management practices in the central mountainous area of Andros: Recording, preservation, interpretation and promotion actions”, the action was designed in early 2023 and was successfully submitted for funding by the Cycladic Identity initiative of the Museum of Cycladic Art. Its implementation lasted 18 months, specifically from the spring of 2023 to almost the end of 2024.

A 6-member project team worked on its implementation, from different scientific fields, adopting an interdisciplinary perspective and methodology. The “fruits” of the action were, among others:

a) A historical study on the traditional practice of surface water management in Andros

b) A survey to record mountain springs and their accompanying works in the central mountain of Andros

c) A survey to record springs in and around 14 settlements located around the study area and which are the natural recipients of mountain waters

d) A digital interpretive tour on the importance of Andros’ water resources and the centuries-old traditional practice of managing its surface waters, based on the findings of the above surveys.

An extraordinary addition to the action was a legal study on the management of surface waters, initiated and offered by our organization’s legal advisor, following questions that concerned the project team.

The action constitutes a piece of study in the complex field of water resources of Andros and their management. We hope that it will contribute to the preservation of the traditional management of surface waters of Andros, a proven and beneficial practice over centuries, but also a living model of community management of a critical natural resource.

The exercise of irrigation rights, by those who still cultivate and care for gardens and crops in Andros, remains in our thoughts, a big “bet” for the preservation of the physiognomy and the viability of Andros, in the immediate and distant future.

We express our warm thanks first of all to the people of the Cycladic Identity initiative, for their trust and valuable support. We also express our warm thanks to those who worked on the implementation of the action, and to all those who provided important information for its completion.

In detail, the material, the findings of the action, the project team and the informants, are presented at the link here https://androsresearchcenter.org/traditional-water-management-2/ 

Next steps of the action, in collaboration with other local bodies, will be the registration of the traditional practice of surface water management of Andros, in the National Catalogue of Intangible Cultural Heritage of our country and the completion of a digital interpretive tour of the aquatic wealth of Andros.