As you walk to the dam you will still see that there is water flowing through. You will also see lots of trees, lots of rocks, and lots of brushes surrounding the dam. Aside from the sacred and unique church’s in the missions, the dams were just as important for the Spaniards and Indians to up keep and maintain. The dam certainly had a huge impact in the missions. It was the missions only source for water supply. The dam supplied the water to help the Spaniards and Indians to irrigate their fields. The initial survival of a new mission depended upon the planting and harvesting of crops. In South Texas, intermittent rainfall and the need for a reliable water source made the design and installation of an acequia system a high priority. Irrigation was very important to the Spaniards that they measured croplands in the amount of land that would be able to be watered in a day. Not only was the acequia used for their fields, but also for their cooking of meals, washing, and cleaning up. The Missions till this day are still important to us. Every day some one will learn about the history of our missions. The water is also still used by residents living on these neighboring lands. These landmarks are still very visible since the days they were built. Espada Dam, built between 1731 and 1740 is the best existing example of the four Franciscan –designed dams placed on the San Antonio River. More so, these structures represent perhaps the best surviving physical assembly of an eighteenth century Spanish irrigation network in the United States. Mission Espada, located in our home town of San Antonio is a National Historic Park where locals, tourists and visitors are more than welcomed to visit and learn more about our history.