Great Power Reclamation

Chapter 2955 Scheme Determination
A potential conflict vanished over a bowl of hot milk tea.

The next day, Uncle Aishan even took the initiative to ride his motorcycle to guide the survey team and avoid some quicksand areas.

Gulimire said to Chen Shanhe with emotion, "President Chen, it seems that our surveying and design work requires not only knowledge of hydrogeology, but also 'human geography'."

Having solved the problems of "human beings," the challenges posed by nature itself have only just begun to reveal their ferocious side.

The second survey team, personally led by Chen Shanhe, aimed to delve deep into the Tianshan Mountains to find a suitable dam site for a planned plateau regulating reservoir.

Accompanying them were young geological engineer Xiao Wang, surveyor Xiao Zhang, and experienced Kazakh guide Batel.

Their destination was a high-altitude basin near the snow line, where the catchment area was large and the geological structure was initially judged to be relatively stable.

However, the road to the basin is extremely treacherous, consisting only of narrow paths worn by herders during their migrations. Vehicles cannot pass through at all, and all equipment and supplies are transported by yaks.

Altitude sickness is the first hurdle. Headaches, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing torment every newcomer, even a seasoned Gobi Desert veteran like Chen Shanhe found it challenging.

But everyone encouraged each other and moved slowly but steadily toward the target area.

After several days of trekking, they finally arrived at the pre-selected dam site area.

The scenery here is magnificent, with crystal-clear streams formed by glacial meltwater, but the weather is unpredictable; one moment it's sunny and clear, and the next it could be snowing heavily.

Detailed geological exploration began. Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhang braved the bitter cold every day, drilling, taking samples, and measuring. However, as the exploration deepened, Xiao Wang discovered some unsettling signs.

In the core area of ​​the pre-selected dam site, he discovered relatively well-developed fissures in the rock strata, and through seismic wave testing, it was shown that there might be a sizable dissolution fissure zone underground.

"Mr. Chen, the situation is not good," Xiao Wang reported anxiously, holding the rock core sample.

"The integrity of the rock mass here is worse than we expected. If a high dam is built here, the enormous pressure after the reservoir is filled may exacerbate the development of these fissures, and even induce leakage or the risk of dam collapse!"

This news came as a shock. The dam site was the optimal solution selected based on remote sensing data and limited information.

If rejected, it means that all the previous work has been wasted, and what's worse, it may be impossible to find a more suitable location in the entire water system.

Chen Shanhe looked grave. He personally went down into the exploration well to inspect it and reviewed all the exploration data.

Inside the tent, the fire flickered, and outside, the wind howled. Guide Batel sipped his hot tea, listening silently to the debate among the technicians.

"Could it be a detection error? Should we expand the detection area further?" Xiao Zhang thought with a glimmer of hope.

“The data has been cross-validated, so the possibility of error is very small,” Xiao Wang insisted on his judgment. “We can’t take this risk.”

Chen Shanhe remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, his voice hoarse but firm:
"Xiao Wang's judgment is correct. Water conservancy projects are a long-term undertaking, and quality and safety are paramount. Success may not be achieved by me, but the effort will not be in vain. This location should be abandoned."

"Give up?" Xiao Zhang exclaimed anxiously, "Then what about our mission..."

"The task is not necessarily to build the dam here, but to find a safe and reliable place to build the dam!"

Chen Shanhe interrupted him, "Pack your things. Starting tomorrow, expand the search area and look for a new dam site!"

The days that followed were even more arduous. The exploration team used the existing camp as a base to expand into more remote and inaccessible areas.

With his decades of experience traversing the mountains, guide Batel led them through ice and snow, searching for possible locations.

On one occasion, while trying to verify a possible point, they were almost trapped in a valley by a sudden blizzard. Fortunately, Batel was familiar with the terrain and found a depression in the rock wall where they were able to take shelter.

Persistence pays off. After nearly a month of fruitless efforts, they discovered an ideal dam site deep in a more secluded canyon upstream of another tributary.

The bedrock here is intact and the water catchment conditions are good. Although the transportation is more inconvenient and the construction difficulty and cost will increase significantly, the safety is extremely high.

When the latest exploration data confirmed this, the entire exploration team cheered.

Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhang hugged each other excitedly, and Batel also showed a simple and honest smile.

Chen Shanhe gazed at the majestic snow-capped mountains before him and let out a long sigh of relief.

In this battle against the ice peaks, they won the victory thanks to their rigorous scientific attitude and unwavering commitment to responsibility.

Another team responsible for the design of irrigation district renovation around the Turpan Basin encountered a clash between history and reality.

One of the team members is Li Zhe, a young designer who has just returned from studying abroad. He brought the latest intelligent water-saving irrigation system and pipeline design concept, and ambitiously wants to create a "high-efficiency water-saving model" in this arid land.

His design extensively utilizes underground pipe networks, automatic control valves, and sensors to precisely deliver every drop of water to the crop roots, minimizing evaporation and seepage losses. From a purely technical perspective, this is undoubtedly advanced.

However, when the plan was discussed with local farmers, especially several Uyghur craftsmen familiar with the "karez" well technology, it sparked controversy.

Karez is an ancient and magnificent underground water conservancy project in Xinjiang. It draws groundwater through underground channels, avoiding strong evaporation, and is a testament to the wisdom of the working people in adapting to the arid environment.

A karez well repair craftsman named Kurban, pointing to the complex pipelines and control nodes on Li Zhe's drawings, asked through a translator:

“Young man, your things are very ingenious. But what if they break? Will the farmers here know how to repair them? Where can we buy the parts? How much will it cost?”

Li Zhe confidently replied, "We have a professional maintenance team that conducts regular inspections. Moreover, the system is very stable and not prone to failure."

Kurban shook his head and led Li Zhe to a karez open channel (vertical shaft outlet) that was still in use.

Clear groundwater gurgles out and flows along the earthen canals toward the vineyards.

“Look, our karez wells have been used for over a hundred years. Wherever they get blocked or broken, we can unclog or repair them ourselves with a kantuman (a type of farm tool). We don’t use electricity or precision parts; we rely on our understanding of water and our ancestral craftsmanship.”

The old craftsman pointed to a section of the old karez irrigation canal that was planned to be filled in on the blueprints: "You want to bury all of these underground and replace them with pipes. It's good that the water flows in the dark. But we won't be able to see the water or feel it anymore."

"Water is not just for irrigation, it's an integral part of our lives. Children play in the water by the canal, women wash clothes and chat by the canal—have you considered these things?"

Li Zhe was speechless for a moment. He pursued the ultimate in technological efficiency, but ignored the multidimensional value of water in specific cultural and social structures, and overlooked the applicability and sustainability of technology.

The team leader, a seasoned engineer, patted Li Zhe on the shoulder:

"Xiao Li, advanced technology should not be applied rigidly, but rather combined with our local realities and traditional wisdom."

"The ecological and cultural value of karez wells, as well as their low maintenance costs, are all things we need to respect."

Later, in optimizing the design, they incorporated the concept of "reducing evaporation through underground channels" from the karez system, while retaining some open channel sections with cultural and scenic value.

These areas will be transformed into ecological landscape water features and community public spaces. Intelligent irrigation systems will primarily be applied to newly constructed high-standard farmland.

Furthermore, a simple operating mode and localized training program were designed to ensure that the technology truly "takes root" rather than "fails to adapt to local conditions."

In this practice, Li Zhe also learned how to give cold, impersonal technology a warm "locality".

The surveying and design phase was filled with similar difficulties and interesting anecdotes. One such experience involved getting lost in the desert and only escaping danger thanks to the guidance of BeiDou satellites and local herders.

There are those who, for the sake of a single data point, persevere for over ten hours in the wind and snow, remaining steadfast at their measurement sites. And there are those who, at a joint celebration between the military and local communities, join together in the joyful dance of the Meshrep.

There are also companies like Warrior Energy, managed by Ye Feng, which proactively donated portable photovoltaic power generation equipment to remote exploration teams, providing timely assistance in solving their electricity problems in the field...

Yifei's concept of focusing on the "source" and "head" is also playing a subtle but significant role.

During their breaks, some young technicians would listen to veteran experts and veterans recount their past struggles, deepening their understanding and love for this land.

The exemplary leadership of cadres, such as Ayijiang, Ye Qianqian, and Chen Shanhe, who went deep into the front lines to solve problems, served as a silent command, uniting the entire team.

After nearly a year of arduous efforts and countless rounds of demonstration, revision and optimization, the overall design scheme and detailed design blueprints for the "Northern Frontier Clear Spring Project" have finally been successfully completed.

This is not just a few thick volumes of drawings and technical documents, but also embodies the hard work, wisdom, and deep responsibility and love for this land of countless surveyors and designers.

At the review meeting, the experts gave the plan high praise, believing that it was not only technically feasible and economically reasonable, but more importantly, it fully considered multiple factors such as ecological and environmental protection, integration between the military and local communities, and cultural heritage. It was a plan with warmth and vision.

With the design plan finalized, the even more massive construction phase is about to begin.

More teams, equipment, and resources will converge on this vast land, turning the lines on the blueprints into clear springs that nourish the fertile fields and into bonds that connect the hearts of the people.

At the summary meeting, Ayijiang said emotionally, "We took the first step of surveying and design very steadily, but it was also very difficult."

"But what we've opened up isn't just the waterways of the future, but also the connections between people's hearts. This proves that as long as we uphold shared values ​​and work towards a common goal, there are no difficulties we cannot overcome."

Ye Qianqian continued, "Yes, it's just like how our parents pioneered the frontier. It required not only strength, but also faith and wisdom. Now, it's our turn to take the baton and continue writing this chapter."

Outside the window, the sky over northern Xinjiang was a clear, deep blue, and the distant snow-capped mountains shone brightly.

The "artificial river" that will soon meander across this ancient land seems to be beating with great intensity.

Challenges remain, and the construction period will inevitably be accompanied by new difficulties and obstacles, but the flame of hope has been lit, just like the stars that gradually light up in the night sky. Although they shine individually, they together illuminate the journey forward.

The spirit of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, together with the songs of the strivers of the new era, are converging into an even more magnificent symphony on this vibrant land.

Once the design was approved, massive construction machinery began roaring into the vast land of northern Xinjiang.

Elite teams from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Construction Division, builders from large provincial road and bridge groups, and various construction companies that won bids, like an iron torrent, marched along the paths trodden by the survey team members to each section of the project.

Tower cranes stand tall, heavy trucks come and go, and the constant fires and roars on the construction site day and night signify that the "Northern Xinjiang Clear Spring Project" has entered a substantial construction phase.

Commander-in-Chief Chen Shanhe was stationed at the central command to coordinate all parties, while Gulimire traveled more frequently to various construction sites, serving as both a technical coordinator and a "lubricant" for communication with local authorities.

However, the steel torrent soon encountered a "soft" obstacle—a softness that concerns emotions, memories, and things that cannot be measured by blueprints and engineering quantities.

On the main canal construction section leading to Awati Township, the machinery had just arrived to prepare for land leveling when it encountered new troubles.

This time it wasn't Uncle Aishan, but several elderly women from the village. They sat around a small gravesite that was about to be leveled, weeping uncontrollably, resolutely refusing to allow construction to begin.

The project manager in charge of this section was a decisive and efficient man from Shandong, surnamed Lei, and nicknamed "Lord Lei".

Holding the construction drawings, he was so anxious he was practically jumping up and down: "This grave isn't within the scope of our expropriation and compensation plans! Nobody mentioned this when we were surveying and demarcating! The project is on a tight schedule and the workload is heavy; every day of delay costs money!"

He tried to reason with them, but due to the language barrier and the elderly women's agitated state, he couldn't get through to them. Just as the conflict was about to escalate, Gulimire arrived after hearing the commotion.

Instead of offering advice, she first knelt down and gently inquired in Uyghur.

An elderly woman named Aysham told her tearfully that her first child, who died young, was buried here. According to ancient customs, underage children cannot enter the family cemetery and can only be buried nearby.

Decades have passed, and this barren land has long since changed, but she has always remembered its exact location. The construction team's boundary markers were driven right onto this small grave.

“Even though the child hasn’t grown up, he’s still my heart and soul… I can’t let him die in peace…” Grandma Aysham’s sobbing brought tears to Gulimire’s eyes.

She turned to the agitated "Thunder God" and explained:

“Manager Lei, this isn’t meant to be difficult. It’s a mother’s longing for her child. This land is just a dot on a map, but for Grandma Ayishamu, it represents decades of longing.”

"Lei Gong" rubbed his hands together, looking troubled, and said, "Master Gu, I understand. But once the construction plan is finalized, changing the wiring will involve a whole host of issues, including cost and time..."