Angkor Hydraulic System

Timeline

1. c. 900–1100Angkor region · CambodiaKhmer rulers began excavating rectangular reservoirs in low-lying plains and connecting them to natural waterways, providing stable water sources and rice-field irrigation for early temple settlements and establishing the baray-building tradition.
2. c. 1141–1150West Baray · Siem Reap ProvinceIn the 1140s the West Baray worked in coordination with the Angkor Wat moat and diversion channel system, storing water in the dry season and releasing floods in the rainy season, supporting the expansion of the Angkor urban area and double-cropping under Suryavarman II.
3. c. 1181–1220East Baray · Siem Reap ProvinceUnder Jayavarman VII the East Baray was expanded and the canal network around Angkor Thom perfected; the hydraulic system covered over a thousand square kilometers, providing agricultural and water-supply support for the capital's peak population.