A methodological system for hydraulic heritage assessment: a management tool

Traditional irrigation systems are spatial units with a remarkable cultural and heritage value, which in turn generate water landscapes. They are part of hydraulic heritage, which includes material, ideational and symbolic assets. However, the assets related to historical irrigation systems and their landscape units have been poorly studied and evaluated. This paper develops a methodological system for the assessment of hydraulic heritage which combines basic and multi-criteria quantitative techniques. The authors conducted an evaluation of water heritage assets and their associated systems for the purpose of establishing a hierarchy for devising appropriate heritage management actions.