World Water Day was celebrated two days ago, on March 20th. Water is probably the most vital of resources for life on Earth.

Water management has brought out some ingenuity in mankind over the last few hundred years. This applies to the island of Mallorca in particular, where it is believed that the Moors showed great skill and finesse when it came to extract, store and consequently distribute the all-important substance.

Shown here is a Sínia (or Spanish: Noria) that I first discovered some 30 years ago in a, then hidden, valley near Felanitx. The Sínia is an ancient water wheel usually driven by a mule. The mule was later replaced by a motorized contraption. Today one has to dig down much deeper to find water and employ powerful pumps to bring it up to the surface.

If you happen to live in the countryside of Mallorca and wonder about the availability of underground water, the help of gifted water diviners can be enlisted.

The photo was taken near Felanitx, Mallorca, Spain. The date: March 18th, 2008. The time was 14:05:43.