Consuegra Dam

The Consuegra Dam is a ruined Roman buttress dam in Toledo province, Castilla–La Mancha, Spain. The dam dates to the 3rd or 4th century AD. It is on the River Amarguillo upstream from Consuegra.

Consuegra Dam
Official name	Presa Romana de Consuegra
Location	Toledo province, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
Coordinates	39°25′46.4″N 3°39′17.5″W
Opening date	3rd or 4th century
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Amarguillo (Guadiana basin)
Height	4.8 m
Length	>632.0 m
Width (base)	2.6 m

Although less than 5 metres high, the dam was remarkably long, over 600 metres. The reservoir seems to have had a dual function of supplying water to Consuegra and irrigating farmland. The settlement dates back to pre-Roman times and was important enough in Roman times to have a circus.

The river Amarguillo has an irregular flow and in 1891 a flood badly damaged the town of Consuegra. The dam may also have suffered damage at this time.

The aftermath of a flood of the river Amarguillo

Conservation

The structure is protected by the heritage listing Bien de Interés Cultural.

See also

• List of Roman dams and reservoirs
• Roman architecture
• Roman engineering

References

• Arenillas, Miguel; Castillo, Juan C. (2003), "Dams from the Roman Era in Spain. Analysis of Design Forms (with Appendix)", 1st International Congress on Construction History [20th–24th January], Madrid, retrieved 29 December 2018 – via TRAIANVS
• Spann, P (2016), Places: 265876 (Consabura/Consabrum), retrieved 1 July 2019 – via Pleiades

Further reading

• García-Diego, José A.; Díaz-Marta, Manuel; Smith, Norman (1980), "Nuevo estudio sobre la presa romana de Consuegra" (PDF), Revista de obras públicas, 127 (3181): 487–505, archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2011, retrieved 23 October 2009
• García-Diego, José A.; Fernández Casado, Carlos (1983), "Estudio conjunto sobre la presa romana de Consuegra (I)" (PDF), Revista de obras públicas, 130 (3215): 491–502, archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2011, retrieved 23 October 2009
• García-Diego, José A.; Fernández Casado, Carlos (1983), "Estudio conjunto sobre la presa romana de Consuegra (II)" (PDF), Revista de obras públicas, 130 (3216): 585–599, archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2011, retrieved 23 October 2009
• García-Diego, José A.; Fernández Casado, Carlos (1983), "Estudio conjunto sobre la presa romana de Consuegra (III)" (PDF), Revista de obras públicas, 130 (3217): 673–688, archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2010, retrieved 23 October 2009
• Díaz-Marta, Manuel; Mezquiriz, Maria Ángeles (1983), "Comentarios al estudio conjunto sobre la presa romana de Consuegra" (PDF), Revista de obras públicas, 131 (3223): 191–205, archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2010, retrieved 23 October 2009
• Schnitter, Niklaus (1978), "Römische Talsperren", Antike Welt, 8 (2): 25–32 (29)