Ruedas de Larmahue, Agricultural water wheels in Larmahue, Chile.

The Ruedas de Larmahue comprise approximately forty wooden wheels of varying sizes arranged along the Almahue Canal in central Chile. Each wheel has a diameter between 5 and 8 meters and features attached buckets that lift water from the canal into surrounding agricultural fields.

The azudas of Larmahue began to be used at the start of the 20th century, built to irrigate land that suffered from scarce water because of its altitude. By decree No. 830 of 10 August 1998, 17 of the 40 wheels then existing were declared National Monuments of Chile. In 2002 they were listed by World Monuments Watch as endangered, and some were damaged in the 2010 earthquake.

Locals call the wheels "azudas", a term tied to the Arabic-derived word for a scoop or bucket wheel. They turn with the canal current between September and mid-autumn, lifting water in containers fixed around the rim and tipping it into the fields. Two of the artisans who build and repair them, Arturo de Jesús Lucero Zamorano and José Eduardo Huerta Serrano, were named living human treasures by the Chilean state.

The wheels operate from September through mid-autumn when water flow in the canal is highest and irrigation demand peaks. Visitors should expect the structures to be stationary outside this season and may find access challenging after heavy rain or in wet conditions.

Two local craftspeople received recognition as living human treasures for their knowledge in building and maintaining these traditional irrigation systems. Their expertise keeps this old technology functioning today and allows the knowledge to pass from one generation to the next.