Kingdom Building Questions (Canals, Aqueducs, District Borders)

[Oblivyax]

Hello, we are starting a part of our kingdom where we will use the Kingdom Building. Basically the Kingdom area available for us is a plateau of plains surrounded by valleys and lowlands filled with forests, hills and some rivers. There is 1 group of mountain on the NW.
We planned starting next to 2 cliffs for strategic location, on the most northwest part of the plateau, so we will have access to plains to build farms, and have access in direct line (3 hexes distance) by passing in a gap between cliffs to the mountains for Aqueduct improvement, and also the surrounding forest,plains,and rivers surrounding that gap.

My DM decided that we can't bring the water from rivers UP in a gap between around the cliff since it would be illogical.

He suggested we build an "high" aqueduct from the mountains to bring water to the settlement, then we starts farms from there using a canal.
I want to know if the RAW would permit this if the DM followed them.

1) Can you irrigate a farm on a settlement hex from an aqueduct?
2) Can you make a district border as 'water' from an aqueduct?
3) What is the use of the aqueduct if it doesn't add a water border to a district? To my knowledge all the buildings requiring water require water district border
3) Can your build a canal from a settlement where an aqueduct ends?
4) It doesn't says anywhere you need water to create a Canal for that matter, so could you start it anywhere and expend it where you want?
5) If you build a road on an hex, then on the next turn a canal, do you need to "upgrade your roads so they have the "If the hex contains any rivers, double the listed cost to reflect the need to build bridges" requirement?

Thank you for you time.

[Carnox]

1) Can you irrigate a farm on a settlement hex from an aqueduct?

No. Allows settlement to build water dependent buildings, but that does not effect terrain improvement like farms.

Sadly no buildings are, mechanically speaking, exactly water dependent. The water gate is the closest as it specifically references aqueduct.

2) Can you make a district border as 'water' from an aqueduct?

No. Same as above.

3) What is the use of the aqueduct if it doesn't add a water border to a district? To my knowledge all the buildings requiring water require water district border

I think the only useful reading is that "requires water district border" means "water dependent." The problem with that is it begins to mix Aqueduct with Canal in game terms. The distinction becomes at best that a canal allows a water border whereas an aqueduct eliminate the needs need for one. Technically that allows a pier/water front, but I wouldn't.

3) Can your build a canal from a settlement where an aqueduct ends?

See 4 below.

4) It doesn't says anywhere you need water to create a Canal for that matter, so could you start it anywhere and expend it where you want?

As written yes. I don't recall errata for it. There should be. Perhaps this is one of those point things that made so little sense it is specified. Sort of like not have to say, "you cannot relocate a settlement."

5) If you build a road on an hex, then on the next turn a canal, do you need to "upgrade your roads so they have the "If the hex contains any rivers, double the listed cost to reflect the need to build bridges" requirement?

No. *Settlements* in a hex with a Canal treat the hex as if it had a river. Basically same as 1 and 2 above.

So basically, his plan works with RAW, though the aqueduct isn't strictly necessary it makes sense. You get water to the canal and can irrigate from it. This rules isn't with the Farm text, but is buried in the foot notes on a table:

"a Farm must be within or adjacent to a hex containing a river, lake, swamp, or Canal, or adjacent to at least 2 hexes that already contain Farms."

[Oblivyax]

Thank you for your Input Carnox! I think we'll follow the DM's suggestion to keep the game going, but it was good to receive external information.

If anyone else want to had or support, please do :)