On July 16th, water began flowing into the city of Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, as part of a major water diversion project that has been under construction for over a decade.
This is a massive tunnel project diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River. It is also part of the largest water conservation project in Shaanxi Province (China). The mega-project started construction in 2011 and has just been completed after more than ten years, with a cost of approximately $7.2 billion.
According to CGTN, this project was built to transport water from the Han River, a major tributary of the Yangtze River, through a 98.3 km long tunnel to four densely populated urban areas along the Wei River, a tributary of the Yellow River, in an effort to alleviate water supply pressure.
The mega-project overcame numerous geological challenges
Close-up of the water diversion project from the Han River to the Wei River after more than a decade of construction.
Experts have indicated that the most challenging aspect of this project was the construction of the tunnel running underground from south to north beneath the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi Province. Engineers and many construction workers had to work 2 km underground, enduring high humidity and temperature while overcoming other harsh geological conditions such as rugged hard rock, landslides, and particularly strong groundwater flows.
After more than a decade of construction facing numerous technical and geological challenges, this water diversion project is expected to benefit over 14 million people and help optimize water resource allocation in Shaanxi Province.
The Shaanxi Provincial Water Resources Management Bureau reported that the project has completed its first phase and is entering the second phase. Once completed, the water diversion tunnel will transport water from the Han River to Xi’an, Hanzhong, Weinan, and Yangling in central Shaanxi to supply water for both industrial and residential areas. This billion-dollar project plays a crucial role in the economic and social development of Shaanxi Province.
The largest water diversion project in China has completed phase 1 and will continue to implement phases 2 and 3.
Mr. Chen Zuyu, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated that the completion of the water diversion tunnel is a triumph of technology and perseverance. He affirmed that this water diversion project is immensely large, long-term, and difficult beyond imagination.
“We used blasting techniques combined with machinery to create a tunnel over 90 km long, and the process was truly arduous. We encountered most geological fluctuations, including hard soil and rock, high terrain, construction under high temperatures causing discomfort, and even strong water flows and landslides,” Mr. Chen added.
This is not the only grand water diversion mega-project in China. Specifically, China has been building a water diversion project from the Yangtze River to the Huai River over six years. This special project began construction in 2016 and entered trial operation at the end of 2022, involving more than 20,000 workers.
The water diversion mega-project from the Yangtze River to the Huai River is 723 km long and has been in trial operation since the end of 2022.
With a length of 723 km, the project supplies water to 15 cities in Anhui and Henan Provinces (China), benefiting over 50 million people. In addition to providing water and developing transport, this water diversion project also serves irrigation and helps improve the ecological environment of the Huai River and the Shao Lake.
Notably, with advancements in technology, residents living in water-scarce areas can now access water diverted from the Yangtze River.
