What water-management device did Leonardo da Vinci design to move water upward?

Leonardo da Vinci studied and designed versions of the Archimedes’ screw to move water upward.

An Archimedes’ screw consists of a helical surface inside a tube or around a central shaft. When the screw rotates, water is carried upward from a lower level to a higher one. Leonardo drew and analyzed screw-based lifting mechanisms as part of his broader work on hydraulics and mechanical engineering.

The device was not invented by Leonardo. It is traditionally associated with Archimedes of Syracuse, who lived in the third century BCE. Leonardo’s importance is that he investigated, improved, and documented related machines during the Renaissance.

The screw remains useful for irrigation, drainage, and wastewater treatment. Its operation is different from a water wheel: a wheel is usually driven by flowing water, while an Archimedes’ screw is a conveyor that lifts water when its shaft turns.