The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion
The peaks and ridges are like clusters, verdant and dripping, and the surging river flows through the Qinling Mountains.
On July 16th, the national major water conservancy project - the Water Diversion Project from Han to Wei River - achieved initial water supply. The river water drawn from the Han River, the largest tributary of the Yangtze River, will pass through the nearly 100 kilometer Qinling water conveyance tunnel and ultimately supply the Wei River, the largest tributary of the Yellow River, thereby achieving a successful handshake between the Yangtze River and the Yellow River in Guanzhong.
Digging the Qinling Mountains, digging tunnels, and fighting fiercely for more than 10 years. Behind the clear water lies the century long project of moistening Guanzhong, quenching thirst in northern Shaanxi, and driving southern Shaanxi; It is the first super project for humans to cross the Qinling Mountains from the bottom, and the construction difficulty is rare in the world; It is also an ecological project that cultivates roads for fish and makes way for animals.
The Century Project to Alleviate the Water Scarcity in Guanzhong
![The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/7083b8a7f91e27f81f64955112ff1cc2.jpg)
On the morning of the 16th, in Zhouzhi County, Xi'an City, at the foot of the Qinling Mountains, with the inlet gate of the Yellow Pool Gully of the Water Diversion Project from Han to Wei slowly opening, the clear water flow from the Han River entered the Xi'an water supply pipeline of the Heihe Jinpen Reservoir after a 12 hour long journey in the Qinling Water Diversion Tunnel, realizing the early water supply from the Han to Wei Project to Xi'an.
On July 16th, the Huangchigou Water Distribution Hub opened its gates to release water, and the Han Ji Wei River Diversion Project achieved initial water supply. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shao Rui
"The Water Diversion Project from Han to Wei is the largest water conservancy project in the history of Shaanxi, which has profound significance in moistening Guanzhong, quenching thirst in northern Shaanxi, and driving southern Shaanxi." Zheng Weiguo, Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Water Resources, couldn't conceal his excitement.
The Century Project reflects the water resource dilemma of a large province in northwest China: the average total water resources in Shaanxi Province over the years are 1.48% of the national total, and the per capita water resources in the province are only half of the national average. 71% of the water resources in the province are concentrated in the southern region of Shaanxi, while the Guanzhong and northern regions, which account for 65%, 77%, and 90% of the land area, population, and economic total, respectively, account for only 29% of the province's water resources.
![The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/f78dec3f68d09efa1ba0b57b68ac4576.jpg)
This is the exit of the Qinling Tunnel at the Huangchigou Water Distribution Hub, captured on July 16th. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shao Rui
The citizens of Xi'an who have experienced a water shortage feel even more deeply. "In the mid-1990s, sometimes the water supply was cut off for several days and the water pressure was not enough. The scene of queuing up in the middle of the night to receive water was vivid," said Guo Hong, a 70 year old resident of Xi'an.
This is the view of the Black River next to the Huangchigou Water Distribution Hub. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shao Rui
In order to solve the problem of long-term shortage and uneven distribution of water resources in Shaanxi, Shaanxi has also implemented water conservancy projects multiple times, but the water shortage problem has not been fundamentally solved. To change this situation, with the approval of relevant national departments, the Han Ji Wei River Diversion Project officially began at the end of 2011.
![The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/1efbcc931b1095ee2beec3a6b06f9e81.jpg)
The Water Diversion Project from Han to Wei River consists of a water diversion project and a water transmission and distribution project, with a total investment of approximately 51.6 billion yuan. The total area of the water receiving area is 14000 square kilometers, benefiting 14.11 million people and adding 5 million new urban water users.
This is the Heihe Jinpan Reservoir. The Han River water from the Han River to Wei River diversion project will be supplied to Xi'an through the Xi'an water supply pipeline of the Heihe Jinpen Reservoir. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shao Rui
It is reported that after the entire project is completed and put into use, it will solve the domestic and industrial water needs of cities in the Guanzhong area such as Xi'an, Xianyang, Weinan, and Yangling, effectively changing the situation of overexploitation of groundwater and encroachment on ecological water in Guanzhong. At the same time, it is possible to increase the annual water flow of the Wei River into the Yellow River by 600 million to 700 million cubic meters, and provide water use indicators for the National Energy and Chemical Base in northern Shaanxi to extract water from the main stream of the Yellow River through water rights replacement. This is of great significance for building a national water network pattern, improving the ecological environment of the Wei River, and promoting high-quality regional development.
The super project of crossing the Qinling Mountains
![The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/56713fbe1697f024916a464a764b54b7.jpg)
Over the past 10 years, Song Wei, the manager of the China Railway 18th Bureau Water Diversion Project from Han to Wei, has encountered almost all the difficulties in tunnel construction, including ultra-high temperature geothermal, rock burst, and water inrush.
Workers from China Railway Tunnel Bureau are cleaning slag and stones at the bottom of the tunneling machine. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Xiao
The total length of the Qinling Water Diversion Tunnel is 98.3 kilometers, which is the first time in human history that it crosses the Qinling Mountains from the bottom. The maximum burial depth of the tunnel is 2012 meters above the ground, and the construction difficulty is rare in the world.
Xinhua News Agency reporter once followed the construction team in winter and arrived at the construction site buried 1840 meters deep in the darkness. At that time, the temperature in the hinterland of the Qinling Mountains had dropped to over minus 10 degrees Celsius, but the temperature inside the tunnel was as high as 40 degrees Celsius and the humidity exceeded 90%, like an airtight "big steamer", feeling enveloped in hot air. All the workers were working barehanded, with sweat, sparks, and mud intertwined on site, creating a scorching scene.
![The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/889684c7aacfe1ec33bcdaaa8d2969dc.jpg)
The more difficult it is, the more one must face the challenge.
Having participated in the construction for more than 10 years, Chen Changlin, Secretary of the Party Working Committee of the Yellow Pool Gully Water Distribution Hub Project of China Railway 17th Bureau, said that the construction area of the Qinling Tunnel is mostly composed of hard quartz sandstone, and special drill bits are required. Generally, one drill bit can drill two to three meters in construction projects, and six to seven drill bits are needed to drill two to three meters here.
It costs both the drill bit and the blade. Li Chao, the worker responsible for replacing the cutting head of the tunneling machine, said, "There are 52 knives on a cutterhead, and one knife weighs 400 pounds. When encountering exceptionally hard rocks, the cutting edge will be smoothed out in the fastest day."
This is the moment taken on February 22, 2022, when the tunnel boring machine fully penetrated the Qinling water conveyance tunnel. Shen Jizhong
![The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/f55430d9d0125ddadda42aefb9972334.jpg)
Frequent rock bursts pose greater risks. Statistical data shows that in areas with high rock burst rates, tunneling machines encounter an average of one rock burst per 1 meter of excavation, with up to 286 rock bursts per day during peak hours. The construction workers said that during a rock burst, the gravel shot out like bullets for several tens of meters, making it difficult to defend against. For safety reasons, frontline workers even have to be fully armed, wearing bulletproof vests and helmets.
Another challenge is long-distance transportation. "Construction workers need to take a car before transferring to a tram to enter the work face. The journey of 16 kilometers per journey takes more than 4 hours, which means that 8 hours of commuting at a time is gone." Song Wei explained that it takes about 240 times a year to enter and exit, and over 10 years, the distance between entering and exiting the tunnel is nearly 80000 kilometers, equivalent to two circles around the equator of the Earth.
We have carried out more than 130 scientific and technological research projects, obtained 72 patent authorizations, 7 invention patents, and won the Dayu Water Conservancy Science and Technology Award... Behind the super engineering is an unimaginable hardship, leaving behind the sweat of builders to overcome difficulties and also containing many technological innovations.
The builders of China Railway 17th Bureau are carrying out excavation and drilling operations in the extension section of the Qinling water conveyance tunnel. Shen Jizhong
![The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/0c6efa87644465bac4c0c92f9970d6bd.jpg)
For more than 10 years, batches of people from the depths of the Qinling Mountains have been leading water with unwavering determination to firmly grasp the green mountains, burying their heads in hard work and courageously advancing.
When Chen Changlin first arrived at the project, he still had thick black hair; Now, at the age of 59, his skin is dark and his temples have already sprouted a bunch of white hair. Since the start of the project, Chen Changlin has spent almost all of his Spring Festival on the construction site. On the day of the flood, as he watched the pouring river water, he was quite moved and said, "It's like watching a child grow up. It's comforting and exciting, everything is worth it!"
Ecological engineering that adheres to the green bottom line
The "Hometown of Crested Ibis" in Yang County, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province, is a 1908-meter-long "ecological fishway" that serves as the golden passage for fish migration in the Han River. It is the Golden Gorge Water Conservancy Hub of the Han to Wei River Diversion Project.
![The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/e64537cc9b224626eb51c5cc0b87725c.jpg)
This is the under construction Huangjinxia Water Conservancy Hub Project. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shao Rui
In order to reduce the impact of water conservancy projects on fish, the designers considered the need for fish migration and spawning at the beginning of the design of the Huangjinxia Water Conservancy Hub. "There are 41 'rest rooms' in the fishway, where fish can take a break and then' go home 'to reproduce," said Zhang Pengli, manager of the Huangjinxia Branch of Shaanxi Provincial Water Diversion Project Construction Co., Ltd.
Build waterways and make way for wildlife.
The Qinling Mountains, combined with the north and south, are the "central water towers" of China. The Han to Wei River Diversion Project passes through the Qinling Mountains and spans multiple national and provincial-level nature reserves. The region is rich in biological resources, and the ecological protection task during the construction process is arduous.
![The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/2596f4a58807b3fb9f99c30226fdf036.jpg)
This is a fish breeding and releasing station built in conjunction with the Huangjinxia Water Conservancy Hub Project. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shao Rui
"In order to avoid the range of animal activities as much as possible, the design team has made many changes and optimizations to the route. For example, the Lingnan section was originally designed with a 1500 meter deep vertical shaft scheme, and later changed to a 5800 meter long inclined shaft scheme. Although the investment has increased significantly, the impact on wildlife has been minimized." said Li Lingzhi, Chief Designer of the Han Ji Wei Water Diversion Tunnel of China Railway First Survey and Design Institute Group Co., Ltd.
This is a fish breeding and releasing station built in conjunction with the Huangjinxia Water Conservancy Hub Project. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shao Rui
The reporter learned that the nearly 100 kilometer water transmission line in the Qinling Mountains was selected by an expert group from nearly 10 lines surveyed in the past, and ecological protection in the Qinling Mountains has always been given top priority in planning and design.
![The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/8b98a98516f50f8d2b40f179a507d7cc.jpg)
"The Han to Wei River Diversion Project strictly adheres to the Qinling Mountains protection regulations from design to construction, implements the Qinling Mountains access permit system, minimizes the impact of construction on the environment, invests hundreds of millions of yuan in environmental protection, introduces measures such as drone monitoring and environmental protection construction, and serves as a good ecological guardian of the Qinling Mountains." Dong Peng, General Manager of Shaanxi Han to Wei River Diversion Project Construction Co., Ltd.
Wastewater treatment is also exceptionally strict. At the wastewater treatment stations of the 6th and 7th branch tunnels of the Qinling water conveyance tunnel located in the upper reaches of the Heihe River, dozens of goldfish are kept for special purposes.
"These goldfish are not for ornamental purposes, but as' water quality biological inspectors'. If goldfish can survive in treated water for a long time, these wastewater can be discharged." Dong Peng introduced that in order to solve the pollution problem caused by tunnel construction drainage, a professional environmental management and operation company was also introduced in the engineering construction, responsible for construction drainage and purification work. Every outlet of the Qinling water conveyance tunnel branch tunnel is equipped with a wastewater treatment station.
This is the Huangchigou water distribution hub slag yard after being covered with soil and greenery. Shen Jizhong
![The Yangtze River and Yellow River shake hands! The Century Project of diverting water from the Han River to the Wei River to achieve early water diversion, "piercing" the Qinling Mountains and diverting water to Huangchigou | Project | Water Diversion](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/2b56fc1fb24b12a41793c4eabfa75697.jpg)
In the depths of the Qinling Mountains, in Shaping Village, Daheba Town, Foping County, Hanzhong City, during the hot summer season, the farmland built after covering with soil from abandoned waste disposal sites is lush green. The river and ditch land that used to be rugged has now been transformed into contiguous, flat, and high standard farmland.
Standing in the village and looking out from afar, the green mountains are like dais, the white clouds are lingering, and the clear flowing water is constantly moistening the Qinchuan River.