Chapter 326 "Central Canal" Project
What Constantine said about sending the Ndebele people to the east to dig a canal was not just talk, but a huge project that had completed geological survey and was ready to start. .
The East African government named this project the "Central Canal" project, which mainly connects the three main rivers in the Central Province and develops its shipping value.
The three main rivers from north to south are the Wami River, the Little Rhine (Ruvo River), and the Rufiji River.
The Wami-Little Rhine extends from the semi-arid Dodoma region to the inland swamps of the Morogoro region, to coastal cities, and finally to the Bagamoyo region, with a drainage area of approximately It covers an area of 62,000 square kilometers, of which the Wami River Basin covers an area of approximately 43,000 square kilometers and the Little Rhine River Basin covers an area of approximately 18,000 square kilometers. There are about 12 lakes with an area larger than 0.1 square kilometers in the basin, and the famous Morogoro National Park and Sadani National Park in Tanzania are also in this basin.
This basin was a relatively economically developed area in Tanzania in the previous life. Tanzania's largest city, Dar es Salaam, and the capital, Dodoma, are both located in this basin.
Similarly, it is also the most developed region in East Africa. The first town, Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo, three of the top ten cities in East Africa, and Plateau Province The provincial capital is Dodoma City, so it has great potential for future development.
The Rufiji River Basin was the largest river basin in Tanzania in the past, with a drainage area of approximately 177,400 square kilometers, accounting for one-fifth of the country's total area. The Rufiji River is also the largest river in Tanzania. The basin provides about 25% of Tanzania's renewable water resources. In addition, the basin's altitude ranges from 0 meters in the Indian Ocean to about 3,000 meters in the mountainous areas of the Mbeya region, and the climate changes from the tropical humid east to the temperate southern highlands.
The river sections to be developed in East Africa are mainly concentrated in the middle and lower reaches of these three rivers, in areas with relatively gentle terrain, that is, in the eastern coastal plains.
After the project is completed, it will cover an area of approximately 70,000 square kilometers in the three river basins. People and logistics can be transported through the canal, opening up the Rendu Second Line of transportation in the Central Province.
……
May 3, 1871.
Phase Werther Palace.
The chief designer of the canal project, Austrian hydraulic engineer Vaskov, introduced the construction plan of the "Central Canal" project to Constantine and East African officials on the sand table.
Vaskov: “Currently, our plan is to build a forty-seven-kilometer-long canal from the upper reaches of the Little Rhine to connect the middle reaches of the Rufiji River, and then connect it to Rufi through Lake Nazka in the east of Mpanga Ji River, so that the water of the Rufiji River can flow into the Little Rhine naturally along the terrain. ”
Konstantin: "Mr. Vaskov, from the sand table, it looks like there are two rivers flowing into the upper reaches of Lake Nazka. So the terrain here should be sloping from northwest to southeast. Shouldn't the water of the Little Rhine River flow into the Rufiji River? "
Vaskov gestured to the sand table and said: "Your Majesty, the area where the Rufiji River flows is generally higher than the Little Rhine. The terrain of the Little Rhine River Basin is quite special. The northwest is an extension of the East African Plateau, and the Rufiji River Basin in the south is also higher than the Little Rhine River Basin. Therefore, the Little Rhine River is a depression in East Africa as a whole.
However, as you said, the terrain in the upper reaches of Lake Nazka obviously slopes from northwest to southeast. After all, the water flows downwards. It is common sense, but east of Lake Nazka, this terrain is reversed and encounters the lower Little Rhine River Basin. The area where Lake Nazka is located is like a highland, becoming the Little Rhine and Rufi The watershed of the Ji River
So we only need to open an opening in the northeast of Lake Nazka, and then dig the river channel. This problem can be solved by introducing water from this highland to the Little Rhine Plain."
Everyone looked at the place where Vaskov's fingers were pointing, and the effect displayed on the sand table was a whole plain. But in fact, after Vaskov's personal on-the-spot inspection, he discovered that although it is a plain, there are also certain terrain differences.
Constantine: "That means the terrain here does not hinder the excavation of the canal?"
Vaskov: "That's right, the terrain difference here is nothing compared to Austria. We only need to dig deeper the channel from Lake Nazka in the south to the Little Rhine Plain. One or two meters can ensure the normal operation of the canal. The distance is about three kilometers, and the amount of work will not increase too much. "Constantine: "Then deepen it."
Anyway, it was the natives who dug the canal, so Constantine didn't feel any pain at all when using it.
Vaskov continued: "The above is the southern line project of the Central Canal, which mainly connects the Rufiji River with the Little Rhine River. Regarding the northern line project, it connects the Little Rhine River and the Wami River. There are now two The plan still needs to be decided by Your Majesty.”
Konstantin: "Let's talk about it first."
Vaskov: "The first plan is to build a channel along the coast at the lowest reaches of the two rivers, so that we can reach the connection between the Little Rhine and Wami. The purpose, but in this case, it will be parallel to the shipping route, and the distance between the two is too close (refer to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal), which is a bit difficult to build."
Constantine: "What about the second option? ”
Watt Skow: “The second option is to dig a northwest-southeast canal inland, near Morogoro, and connect the Little Rhine and Wami Rivers by taking advantage of the terrain differences. However, this line will follow the Ulugulu Mountains. It will be built in the plain area on the east side of the project, and the length is almost twice that of the first plan. The project volume is large and the technical requirements are higher."
Constantine asked: "That's technically possible. Does it meet the requirements? ”
In this regard, Vaskov was full of confidence: "Your Majesty, I have rich experience in Austria. I believe you also know the terrain in Austria. The terrain conditions there are much more complicated than the coastal plains of eastern Africa. Building a canal in this area , just like building a canal in Hungary, it is not a big challenge. However, from the perspective of economic interests, I prefer option one. After all, the east is more developed, and the length of the canal is shorter and the construction cost is lower. "
Constantine: “This Things should not be focused on the present. Although the cities in the east are relatively mature at present, with the development of East Africa, the inland development is also rapid. As for the two options, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Can we build two canals at the same time? "
Vaskov: "Theoretically it is feasible, but the cost of building the canal will be high and it will require a lot of manpower. "
Translation of Vaskov's words. It is necessary to be prepared for a large number of manpower to die due to the doubling of the project.
"Hahaha!" Constantine sneered: "Don't worry about this. I have prepared a lot of manpower for the construction of the canal, but it will take time for them to get here. We can first build the most difficult and The canal section with the least amount of work was completed.”
Vaskov did not care about this. There must be no shortage of slaves in East Africa. He said: "The least difficult one is the first plan to connect the Wami River to the Little Rhine River. As for the smallest project, it is to connect the Little Rhine River to Rufi." From a comprehensive perspective, the canal from the Rufiji River to the Little Rhine River best meets your requirements. ”
Constantine: "Then first build the canal from the Rufiji River to the Little Rhine River, and then the canal from the Wami River to the Little Rhine River, etc., and then we will consider it when all the people are available."
Central Canal The total length of the project is approximately 180 kilometers and is divided into three sections, which is the same length as the Suez Canal and connects the Little Rhine, Wami and Rufiji rivers.
The canal from the Wami River to the lower reaches of the Little Rhine is called Canal No. 1, the canal from the Wami River to the upper reaches of the Little Rhine is called Canal No. 2, and the canal from the middle reaches of the Rufiji River to Nazka Lake is called the Little Rhine. The upper canal is called Canal 3.
Among the three sections of canals, the last two canals flow to the Little Rhine. After completion, in addition to improving navigation conditions, they can also provide irrigation water to areas along the line, further enhancing the development potential of the three river basins.
(End of this chapter)