La Mochana ancient hydraulic system offers climate change solutions

A study published in Communications Sustainability by the University of Cambridge has revealed details of an ancient hydraulic system in the La Mochana region of northern Colombia. This pre-Columbian network of canals and raised fields, used from the first centuries BCE to the 11th century CE, covers approximately 500,000 acres—an area three times the size of modern-day London.

Contrary to previous assumptions that such massive infrastructure required a centralized authoritarian power, researchers found the system was built through horizontal cooperation among local family groups. Using satellite imagery and soil analysis, the team estimated the project was completed by a local workforce of roughly 800 people without the use of metal tools.

The system functioned as a natural regulator, absorbing excess water during heavy rainfall and distributing it during droughts, which simultaneously enriched the soil and supported fishing. Researchers suggest this ancient approach to working with nature rather than against it offers valuable lessons for modern climate change adaptation and water management in Colombia.