Angkor Baray Reservoirs

Timeline

1. 1050–1100West Baray · Siem ReapThe Khmer dynasty built the West Baray west of Angkor city, enclosing about 14 square kilometers of water surface with earth-and-stone embankments, connected via canals and river systems to provide seasonal irrigation for rice fields around the capital, marking a new height of baray engineering scale.
2. 1181–1218Angkor hydraulic system · Siem ReapWhen expanding the capital, Jayavarman VII integrated the east and west barays, canals, and rice-field networks; the baray together with temples and roads formed a unified urban infrastructure supporting the water needs of a large population and religious ceremonies.
3. 1221–1230West Baray · Siem ReapIn the 1220s the West Baray and canal system still supplied water to Angkor's rice-growing areas; local officials were responsible for embankment maintenance and water distribution; however, imperial finances and labor grew tight, maintenance became harder, laying hidden groundwork for the system's later decline.