West Baray North Inlet Canal and Transfer Canal (West Baray North Feed)
West Baray Inlet · West Baray Transfer
Angkorian (11th c Udayadityavarman II)·Khmer Angkor·🇰🇭 Siem Reap Province, West Baray (Baray Occidental) north embankment inlet canal, Cambodia
About
About West Baray North Inlet Canal and Transfer Canal (West Baray North Feed)
North inlet canal feeding West Baray (8 x 2.1 km, 17 km2 reservoir, already in DB as baray-west-angkor) at north embankment breach (13.42,103.78, 22 m) with 4.5 km canal from Siem Reap River paleochannel. Transfer canal 12 m wide with laterite spillway and north embankment sluice (kbal spean stone). LiDAR Fletcher 2017 shows inlet canal 0.08% gradient with diversion weir. West Baray itself is Suryavarman I–Udayadityavarman II; this north feed is late addition. System downstream: East Baray cascade already in DB (angkor-eastern-baray). Reservoir still holds water in monsoon; inlet canal silt-choked 1.2 m.
Why it mattersKey hydraulic illustrating Khmer Angkor hydraulic/geoglyph/kite/kurgan tradition in Siem Reap Province, West Baray (Baray Occidental) north embankment inlet canal.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01West vs East Baray inlet timing
Theories
- 01North inlet as late Angkorian flood transfer addition
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.1050 CE
- Period
- Angkorian (11th c Udayadityavarman II)
- Culture
- Khmer Angkor
- Purpose
- North inlet feeder canal transferring Siem Reap River flood to West Baray (8 x 2.1 km reservoir)
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c.1050 CE
Initial construction
2020
Drone/UAV high-resolution mapping and heritage inventory
On the ground
Structures & features
13.4200° N · 103.7800° E · 22 m · 3 mapped features
North Inlet Canal (4.5 km)
aqueduct4.5 km laterite spillway canal from Siem Reap River
13.4210° N · 103.7810° ENorth Embankment Sluice (Kbal Spean)
sluiceStone sluice on West Baray north embankment
13.4190° N · 103.7790° EDiversion Weir on Siem Reap Paleochannel
hydraulicEarthfill diversion weir at canal head
13.4230° N · 103.7830° E