How does an aqueduct gets water from one pleace to another?

Question

I'm doing a report, on aqueducts. I dont seem to get how the take water from a river to a town. Please explain in you words. Make it easy to understand. whenever i read about it, i dont get it.

Answer 1

It is really simple. Gravity does the work. The source of water has to be higher in elevation that the city. The true genius of the Romans and other peoples who constructed aqueducts, was in planning it so there was enough of a drop to get the water where it was intended to go, often involving the tunneling through hills to keep the water flowing and often also the covering of the duct to keep the water clear.

Answer 2

The water has to flow downhill all the way. You start with a mountain stream and build an arched stone "bridge," which carries a stream of water instead of vehicles or people. You arrange for the bridge to descend slowly as it crosses the landscape. Maybe you've seen photos of Roman aqueducts. They're really high off the ground because of the need to "start high."

Answer 3

Now, if gravity is against you and you can't find a moutain stream at the right elevation, or evaporation is too big an issue, another solution could be an underground aquaduct or "qanat" AKA "kareez" :

"A qanat (from Arabic: قنات) or kareez (from Persian: كاريز) is a water management system used to provide a reliable supply of water to human settlements or for irrigation in hot, arid and semi-arid climates."

"Qanats are constructed as a series of well-like vertical shafts, connected by gently sloping tunnels. This technique
taps into a subterranean water in a manner that efficiently delivers large quantities of water to the surface without need for pumping. The water drains relying on gravity, with the destination lower than the source, which is typically an upland aquifer."

"Allows water to be transported long distances in hot dry climates without losing a large proportion of the source water to seepage and evaporation."

"It is very common in the construction of a qanat for the water source to be found below ground at the foot of a range of foothills of mountains, where the water table is closest to the surface. From this point, the slope of the qanat is maintained closer to level than the surface above, until the water finally flows out of the qanat above ground. To reach an underground aquifer qanats must often be of extreme length."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qanat

Answer 4

The key is gravity, the source has to be higher than the city or town, and basically what the aqueduct is, is a small river, that has its water flow downstream to the city ... as simple as that.

Answer 5

Aqueducts carry water from a higher level to a lower level. The course that the water runs through is slightly slanted downhill.
For more info go to,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqueduct_(Roman)

Answer 6

Hi, I'm also doing a report, but I dont know that answer. If you find the answer, please mail it to me.