The Santa María dam, built between 1753 and 1757, is part of the network of works on the Campos branch of the Castile Canal, designed to regulate water for agricultural irrigation. Located in the municipality of Becerril de Campos (Palencia), at kilometer 94.742, this small structure played a vital role in the controlled distribution of water flow, ensuring the orderly use of the canal in its immediate surroundings.
The structure has a square floor plan and modest dimensions, measuring approximately 3.50 meters in length and width and nearly 1.82 meters in height. Its design is simple and efficient, characteristic of this type of hydraulic construction. The walls are made of brick, with reinforced piers at the corners, while the roof is a brick dome protected externally by a hipped roof. A limestone cornice crowns the structure, providing solidity and aiding in rainwater runoff. These materials and construction solutions reflect the pursuit of durability and functionality typical of the Canal de Castilla.
Integrated into the open landscape of Tierra de Campos, the Almenara de Santa María offers visitors a peaceful stop to understand how these discreet, yet essential, structures sustained the functioning of the canal and shaped a territory deeply linked to water and agriculture.
