The Surco canal, an ancient irrigation canal in Lima, Peru, and a citizens’ campaign for its protection

Abstract

The present text discusses a number of pre-Hispanic irrigation canals in Lima, the Peruvian capital, often considered as the second largest city built on a desert. Some of the original canals are still in use but given that most have been excluded from official urban narratives, citizens are not aware of them and the role they still play in the city. A brief description of Lima’s canals through the ages is provided, including present day management and the risks affecting them. This paper focuses on the Surco canal and a citizens’ campaign carried out between 2016 and 2018 to raise awareness about it. The impact the campaign has had on the wider city is discussed. A general overview of the cultural context in which pre-Hispanic issues have historically been considered in Lima and how this campaign also tried to address them is included as well. As this paper is part of a special issue, Water History in the time of COVID-19, it has undergone modified peer review.