China’s Olympian Race for Water

The city of Beijing is bustling with frenetic activity in these last two months leading up to the Olympic Games. On the surface, this means not only massive building projects, but also the coming together of human resources. Throughout all the public parks of the city, people are practicing their English, rehearsing a song or preparing a cultural demonstration. Everywhere is abuzz with activity for the Olympic countdown. Grass and flowers are being planted it seems at every corner to support the so-called “green” Games. Below ground, too, the city is putting the finishing touches on new subways to give better access to sports venues.

Not many are aware of another mammoth construction project going on simultaneously with these other endeavors. It is even more ambitious than the unique architecture of the stadiums. It is the monumental task of bringing water to Beijing. Called the South to North Waterways System, it is one of the most ambitious engineering schemes ever dared in China. Three separate water canals will bring water to the parched north from southern rivers.

The first partial connection is to be completed before the Games. Water from dams in equally parched Hebei Province (Ganghan Dam near Shijiazhuang and Xidayang Dam of Baoding) will provide emergency water to Beijing as an interim water system until the southern canals are completed. It is still a Herculean feat. Over 300 km of channels are being carved out of the earth. From the ridge by the road near Hanzhuang Village just outside of Baoding, some two and a half hours south of Beijing, I could sense the great urgency of this endeavor with the large amassing of manpower. I watched as scores of yellow bulldozers fanned out as far as I could see in either direction kicking up dust as they worked on the 100 meter wide canal. This section was nearing completion with the laying of white plastic on the black-tarred bottom before the last cement was poured.

Water has always been a challenge to Beijing throughout its thousand-year history. Canal building has a long tradition there. Liao Dowager Xiao in the 11th c. opened a canal from the southern moat of Liao Nanjing (Beijing) connecting it to the east in order to lock up with canals connecting to the Grand Canal. Its banks of yellow beaten earth are as hard as rock and still uphold the sides of the canal for a thousand years. The fine water from mountain springs was a favorite of 12th c. Jin royalty and they devised ways to transport that water to the palace in the city. Several lakes had deep-water reserves are their water was channeled to flow like rivers. The Mongols searched for new water sources in springs north of the city and in the early 14th c. dug a canal that extended to the Kunming Lake of the Summer Palace. They also made new canals eastward to the Grand Canal. Many of these connected waterways still run through the city, some underground.

Despite the care for water resources, the cutting of the surrounding forests for building materials to make the great cities of the successive dynasties were responsible for drastic changes in the environment. Both floods and droughts repeatedly hit the city. The city’s population continued to grow and with that an increasing demand for water. It has been particularly evident these past ten years of a severe dry spell. Beijing’s speedy economic development has drained even further the underground water table. Desertification of northern parts of the city makes the water emergency all the more visible.

Seeing the construction around Baoding I thought that they might indeed make the heroic accomplishment of finishing in time. I was disappointed however when I checked out the extension of the canal in Fangshan District of southwest Beijing. In late April they were only beginning to cut the deep trench. If in fact water flows to Beijing by the Olympics on August 8th, certainly a gold medal should go to the people of Hebei Province for their water sacrifice.

Beijing’s Greatest Olympic Feat

Great water projects have been a feature of Chinese history. The ///dam in Chengdu, Sichuan by engineer //// was one of the first hydraulic wonders. It still exists and works. So does the famous Grand Canal built by Sui Emperor Mingdi in the 7th c.

Water has always been a challenge to Beijing throughout its history. Canal building has a long tradition there. Liao Dowager Xiao opened a canal from the southern moat of Liao Nanjing (Beijing) connecting it to the east in order to lock up with canals connecting to the Grand Canal. Its banks of yellow beaten earth are as hard as rock and still uphold the sides of the canal for a thousand years.

In the Jin dynasty, the emperor opened a canal from the Yongding River on the east just upstream from Lugouqiao. It was supposed to ease water supply, but unfortunately it silted up after a couple years. Only a small portion can be found today. The Mongols searched for new water sources north of the city from the Baifu Springs and dug a canal that extended to the Kunming Lake of the Summer Palace. They also made new canals eastward to the Grand Canal. Many of these connected waterways still run through the city, some underground.

Despite the care for water resources, the cutting of the surrounding forests for building materials to make the great cities of the successive dynasties were responsible for drastic changes in the environment. Both floods and droughts repeatedly hit the city. The city’s population continued to grow and with that an increasing demand for water. It has been particularly evident these past ten years of a severe dry spell. Beijing’s speedy economic development has drained even further the underground water table. Desertification of northern parts of the city makes the water emergency all the more visible.

It has surprised me that municipal policies have encouraged the planting of grass and development of golf courses. These put even more strain on precious water sources. Only in the last few years were fees attached to water usage in the rural parts of Beijing.

So now with this dire situation, the water of Hebei Province is coming to the rescue. Unfortunately, Northern Hebei has even more water poverty, but the capital will be taking the water from two dams in southern Hebei: Ganghan Dam near Shijiazhuang and Xidayang Dam of Baoding.

Seeing the construction around Baoding I thought that they might indeed make the heroic feat of finishing before the Olympics. I was disappointed however when I checked out the extension of the canal in Fangshan District of southwest Beijing. They were only beginning to cut the deep trench. If in fact water flows to Beijing by the Olympics on August 8th, certainly a gold medal should go to the people of Hebei.