Major Water Infrastructure Projects Accelerate Construction Across the Country

The central arch ring of the Ma'eryan Aqueduct was closed on the 25th.

On October 25, the central arch ring of the Ma'eryan Aqueduct, a key structure in the Xiangjiaba Irrigation Area, was joined. The Xiangjiaba Irrigation Area is the first large irrigation area along the route from the Jinsha River to the Yangtze River. The first stage of its first phase was completed and began supplying water in February last year. The second stage of the first phase, currently under construction, is expected to be completed by the end of 2028. At that point, water diverted from the Jinsha River will be delivered to 11 counties, county-level cities and districts in the four cities of Yibin, Zigong, Neijiang and Luzhou.

As of mid-October, a total of 637 kilometers had been excavated for the main water conveyance canal of the first phase of the Central Yunnan Water Diversion Project.

The Central Yunnan Water Diversion Project, the largest water resource allocation project in southwestern China, recently reached new milestones. Work on the project's headwater source, the Shigu Water Source Project, is in its final push toward completion. Excavation of the Xianglushan Tunnel, the first gateway for water from the Jinsha River, is now more than halfway complete, with less than 30 kilometers remaining. Builders are advancing bit by bit using traditional drilling and blasting. As of mid-October, excavation of the main water conveyance canal for the first phase of the Central Yunnan Water Diversion Project had reached a cumulative 637 kilometers, or 96% of its total length.

The second Shushan ship lock entered trial operation, enabling two locks to operate in parallel with traffic in both directions.

The Shushan Hub of the Yangtze-to-Huaihe Water Diversion Project has reached a new milestone: its key navigation facility, the second Shushan ship lock, has begun trial operation, enabling the new and original locks to operate “in parallel, with two-way passage.” This marks an improvement in the quality and capacity of the navigation hubs along the Jianghuai Canal. As the Yangtze-to-Huaihe Water Diversion Project progresses, the Jianghuai Canal has connected with the Shaying River upstream and the Wuhu-Shanghai Canal downstream, among other waterways. It has already become China's second major north-south water transport corridor, shortening north-south voyages for bulk cargo by 200–600 kilometers.

Excavation of the main tunnel of the Yangtze-to-Han River Water Diversion Project exceeded 40 kilometers.

The Yangtze-to-Hanjiang Water Diversion Project on the central route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, a landmark project forming part of the main framework and major arteries of the national water network, has reached a key milestone. Nine ultra-large-diameter hard-rock tunnel boring machines are operating simultaneously, and excavation of the main tunnel has surpassed 40 kilometers, completing one-fifth of its total length. Meanwhile, serving as the project's information hub, a digital twin platform can collect more than 9,000 equipment parameters in seven major categories from the hard-rock tunnel boring machines in real time, enabling excavation equipment scattered beneath the mountains, tens of kilometers apart, to operate in coordination.