Editing Guadalquivir (section)

=== Upstream to Córdoba ===
In medieval times, the Guadalquivir was navigable for barges from Seville up to Córdoba. In the city, there were piers at the [[Albolafia|Albolafia mill]] and near the [[Martos Mill]]. The bulky wool transports often left from the Cortijo Rubio pier about 15&nbsp;km downstream.  In medieval times, the river transport between Sevilla and Córdoba was managed by the Barqueros de Córdoba.<ref name=mercaderes>{{citation |year=1996 |last=Otte |first=Enrique |title=Sevilla y sus mercaderes a fines de la Edad Media |publisher=Vicerrectorado de Relaciones Institucionales y Extención Cultural, Fundaión el Monte, Sevilla |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l0nF8mTGEb0C |page=105 |isbn=9788487062957 }}</ref><ref name="puerto">{{cite web|url=https://www.artencordoba.com/blog/cordoba/el-puerto-fluvial-de-cordoba-en-la-edad-media/ |title=El puerto fluvial de Córdoba en la Edad Media |work=Blog cultural Artencórdoba |access-date=15 December 2023}}</ref>

In medieval times, the navigable river gave Córdoba a cost advantage. It had relatively cheap transport to the sea, and thence to the world markets. Main imports like iron and wood, were also cheaper in Córdoba than in cities that lacked aquatic transport. During the 16th century, the silting up of the Guadalquivir became ever more serious and started to halt navigation on the river.<ref name="puerto" /> In 1524 [[Fernán Pérez de Oliva]] made a famous speech about navigation between Sevilla and Córdoba.<ref name=Perez>{{citation |year=1787 |last=Pérez de Oliva |first=Fernán |volume=II |title=Las obras del Maestro Fernan Perez de Oliva |publisher=Benito Cano, Madrid |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MbEGAAAAQAAJ }}</ref>

The use of the river section between Córdoba and Sevilla as a power source, was another reason for the decline of navigation on this section of the river.<ref name="puerto" /> The [[weir]]s that stored water in order to guarantee a steady power supply for water mills, directly hindered navigation. There were openings in the weirs, but their passage caused much damage to the barges.<ref name=Recuerdos>{{citation |year=1855 |last=De Madrazo |first=Pedro |volume=Córdoba |title=Recuerdos y bellezas de España |publisher=Imprenta de Repullés, Madrid |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sxKt5NEzCu8C |page=437 }}</ref> The weirs also led to raising the river bed. Perez de Oliva proposed to build [[lock (water navigation)|locks]] in these weirs as a preliminary measure to restore navigation.<ref name=Perez /><ref>{{citation |year=1826 |last=K |volume=XIX-II |title=De recensent, ook der recensenten |chapter=Redevoering in het jaar 1524 gehouden, door Fernan Perez de Oliva, in den Raad van de stad Cordova |publisher=Van der Hey en Zoon, Amsterdam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MetRAAAAcAAJ |pages=432–450 }}</ref> In the end, the above developments put an end to inland navigation in the area.<ref name="puerto" />

The iconic [[Albolafia]] is a [[hydropower]]ed [[scoop wheel]]. It was originally built by the Romans and lifted water from the river to the nearby [[Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos|Alcázar]] gardens. It was also used to mill flour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.andalucia.com/cities/cordoba/albolafia.htm |title=Córdoba Molino de Albolafia mill, The city of Córdoba tourist main sights, Andalusia, southern Spain |date=19 October 2011 |publisher=Andalucia.com |access-date=2015-04-05}}</ref>