In the mountains and valleys of September in eastern Hunan, the villagers of Lushui Village in Yaolu Town watched as the first construction vehicle rolled over the red line on the barren land. After more than a decade of anticipation, the Dalong Reservoir finally broke ground on this day. This hilly field that eagerly awaits water in spring and summer will soon welcome a medium-sized reservoir that can steadily support the dry season.

Clear details of engineering construction

Dalong Reservoir is located in the upper reaches of Shilian River, a third level tributary of Xiangjiang River. It is a key water conservancy project under the dual construction of the country, with an estimated total investment of 926.55 million yuan and a construction period of 36 months. The total storage capacity of the reservoir is 12.75 million cubic meters, with a beneficial storage capacity of 11.29 million cubic meters. It is a Class III medium-sized water conservancy project, mainly divided into two parts: hub engineering and irrigation area engineering.

The project has previously completed the preparation bidding for the construction of the diversion tunnel, with a total length of 395.8 meters. The construction is planned to be completed before May 2027, creating dry ground conditions for the subsequent construction of the main dam. The entire project approval process has been fully implemented, and the construction pace is steadily advancing according to annual milestones.

Clear implementation of livelihood values

After the project is put into use, it can cover 21 administrative villages in four townships and streets, namely Yaolu Town, Huotian Town, Sicong Street, and Yujiang Street, irrigate 56000 acres of farmland, and ensure stable daily water supply for 32000 people, completely solving the historical problem of seasonal drought and water shortage in the area.

The situation where water cannot be stored during the rainy season and is difficult to find during the dry season will be comprehensively improved. The flood control standards in downstream areas will be raised simultaneously, which can not only maintain the safety bottom line of local food production, but also provide stable water source support for the development of characteristic agriculture and rural industries, and lay a solid foundation for water conservancy to prevent large-scale poverty relapse and promote comprehensive rural revitalization. Keywords: water conservancy projects, infrastructure projects

The mountain wind brushes over the valley of Shilian River, and in the next three years, the dam will gradually grow taller here, stabilizing the abundant water flow during the rainy season into the reservoir area. In three more summer harvests, farmers on the edge of the fields no longer need to wait for water in the canal. By turning on the faucet, stable flowing water will flow into the rice fields and into the water tanks of every household.Editor/Cheng Liting