Above, old canals disappearing beneath the sands.

the canals show up better in the wet season..

the canals show up better in the wet season..

the canals show up better in the wet season, east of Belen, El Choro region...

These look like salt trails indicating remains of parallel canals in the desert Altiplano north east of Volcan Quemado,
on the "level rectangular plain". Note the orientation is the same as the canals in the El Choro region just south of Oruro.

the canals show up better in the wet season.. El Choro region.

Some of the canals are more modern, such as the one crossing diagonally from the left, cut for relief drainage purposes.

Above, wells and canals beneath lago UruUru (lake Poopo).

into lago UruUru

between Oruro and lago Poopo

on the edge of and into lake Poopo/ Uru Uru

canals are re-dug over more ancient canals. Note the well on the right supplying water from an underground water table.

canals are re-dug over more ancient canals. Note the well on the left supplying water from an underground water table.

parallel canals disappearing beneath the sands of the desert.

In this region there is also an immense number of ancient walled plots, particularly to the north-west of Lake Poopo.

dry canals zone, link to satellite, pan and zoom

Above, a system of parallel canals extended beneath what is now the edge of the rio Desaguadero.

Above, beneath the diagonal canal there is an even older system of parallel canals.

Above, the close-up shows more clearly an older system of parallel canals benath the diagonal canal.

through and under the rio Desaguadero

the parallel canals passing through the edge of the rio Desaguadero show this part has sunk and the river expanded since the canals were first made.

Above, this canal runs beneath the edge of the rio Desaguadero to the old course of the river.

Above, this canal reaches to what would have been the original course of the rio Desaguadero on the right hand side of the frame.

Above, ancient canals running through the rio Desaguadero near lake Poopo.

Above, ancient canals on the northern shore of Lake Poopo.

Above, ancient canals bordering the rio Desaguadero near lake Poopo.

Lago Uru Uru west  (below)

above, remains of a section of canal 200 feet (60 metres) wide draining into lago Uru Uru, part of Lake Poopo south of Oruro, . see Paria, Oruro canals page
The canal shows up parcularly well in the wet season when the surrounding fields have become flooded.

above, Oblique view of remains of a section of canal 200 feet (60 metres) wide draining into lago Uru Uru,
part of Lake Poopo south of Oruro, . see Paria, Oruro canals page

Pariawest  (below)

above, remains of a section of canal north of Oruro near Paria 200 feet (60 metres) wide. see Paria, Oruro canals page

Oruro north towards Paria

La Joya north

Old abandoned canals just north of La Joya

Old abandoned canals nort west of Oruro

close up of old abandoned canals just north of La Joya

close up of old abandoned irrigation canals and plots just north of La Joya
Canals and irrigation are a feature of the area, many appear to be very ancient whilst others appear more recent but what is astonishing is the amount of former agriculture and irrigation in what today appears to be largely salt desert.

These appear to be more recent and current irrigation channels, cultivation of quinoa has been re-introduced in the area.

La Joya south west

SW of La Joya, evidence of old canals crossing the salt flats.

Oruro west lake

Machacamarca north

Poopo village area

Pazna village area

Ponds north-west of Pampa Aullagas

These appear to be small artificial ponds dug in rows.

Above, the ponds are connected by small channels.

Similar artificial ponds also exist south-west of Pampa Aullagas.

Cultivations around the borders of Salar de Uyuni
south west of volcan Tunupa

east of Salar de Uyuni

south of Salar de Uyuni

   Selection of related studies,

See also dating of canals in northern Peru 4,684BC
dating and location of canals in northern Peru Wikipedia
"The new find suggests that agricultural settlements may have appeared in South America at about the same time they did in the Middle East. Dillehay notes that the earliest evidence of irrigation canals in Sumeria is between 7,000 and 8,000 years old."
National Geographic quote... Researchers found three canals that date to at least 5,400 years ago buried by sediment layering. A fourth possible canal was also found, which special radiocarbon dating techniques revealed to be 6,700 years old. "Some colleagues in the Andes surmise early canal irrigation based on the presence of crops at 9,000 to 10,000 years ago," said Tom D. Dillehay, an anthropologist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, who lead the study.