Lin Changhong
Tuo irrigation canal Photo by Wang Minqia
Many people are familiar with Longchang, Sichuan, the hometown of China's stone archway, but they do not know that there is a majestic artificial water miracle on this land - Tuo Irrigation. In particular, the hundreds of kilometers of Tuo irrigation canals, over mountain beams and ravines, are as spectacular as the Great Wall in the sky.
Tuo irrigation canal "ten miles of Changhong" Photo by Xu Kai
There are no major rivers in Longchang, and there have been nine droughts in ten years in history. In the seventies of the twentieth century, under extremely difficult conditions such as lack of food and clothing, Longchang mobilized the efforts of the whole county to build a huge Tuojiang Shipantan Water Lifting and Irrigation Project (referred to as Tuo Irrigation Project), which completely solved Longchang's historical problem of frequent drought and relying on the sky for food.
Basic situation of Tuo irrigation project
The Tuo irrigation project site straddles Longchang City and Dongxing District of Neijiang City, extracting water from the Shipantan section of Dongxing District, the main stream of the Tuo River, and through the artificially constructed water diversion main canal to Longchang Guyu Lake and Berlinsi Reservoir, ensuring the surrounding 355,300 mu of farmland and more than 1 million people to use water. Tuo irrigation project enjoys the reputation of "Hongqi Canal in the north and Tuo irrigation canal in the south", and is the second water wheel pump group irrigation project in China and the first in Sichuan Province. After several generations of continuous efforts, after the third phase of the Tuo irrigation project, a total of 228.5 kilometers of main water diversion canals, more than 1,000 kilometers of capillary branch canals, more than 100 village-level irrigation stations, and an annual water diversion capacity of more than 100 million cubic meters have been completed.
On August 12, 1972, thousands of people held an oath meeting in Shipantan Beach. "The big battle against the rocky beach, leading the water to the mountains. Swear to call Tuo River water, flow freely in Longchang County!" People raised their fists and the oath resounded in the sky. The "Xiutuo irrigation" that Longchang people hang on their lips usually refers to this period. From 1972 to 1980, the first and second phases of Tuoirrigation lasted 8 years. At that time, 42 militia companies were formed in 42 communes, 8 militia regiments were formed in 8 districts, and 1 militia division was formed in counties. The organs and units dispatched the best cadres to the Tuoguan construction site, and the production brigades unreservedly sent skilled stonemasons and carpenters, educated young people, and comrades who could write and calculate to the front line of the Tuoguan project.
Shipantan Irrigation Station Photo by Li Jian
From August 1972 to December 1975, the first phase of the project completed the hub project including dams, ship locks, sand flushing locks, and water wheel pumping stations, as well as 14.8 kilometers of main water diversion canals, with an average water width of 3.6 meters, a depth of 3 meters, and a flow rate of 6.5 cubic meters per second. Shuangfeng Electric Irrigation Station, Guyumiao Reservoir and supporting trunk canals. Among them, the stone continuous arch aqueduct is very magnificent and spectacular, some aqueducts are up to 500 meters long, and the main bridge hole of the aqueduct is 399 holes, including 55 holes with a span of 30 meters, 41 holes in 10 meters, and 303 holes in the main and auxiliary arches of 3 meters, up to 27 meters high. The average depth of the aqueduct is 1.8 meters, and the flow rate is 25,000 cubic meters per second. The irrigated area covers more than 80% of Longchang's area, arable land and population.
Since 1981, the professional construction team has successively implemented the third phase of the continuation of supporting projects, and completed 120.7 kilometers of electric irrigation canals and artesian canals, and the drought resistance and regulation function has been further improved.
Benefits and impact of Tuo irrigation projects
The impact of the Tuo irrigation project is far-reaching, and its benefits are multifaceted, with broad economic prospects and extensive social significance.
The Shipantan Hydropower Station not only lifts water but also generates electricity. After two technological transformations from 1992 to 1996, the annual power generation income has exceeded 10 million yuan.
Every year in spring irrigation and summer drought, the Tuo River water is directly irrigated by the main canals through the towns of Shuangfeng, Huangjia and Xiangshi, and the towns of Shengdeng, Hujia, Shiyanqiao, Li Shi and Yunding are irrigated by Guyu Lake artesian irrigation. Longchang has changed from the original "ten years and nine droughts" to the "land of fish and rice". At present, 100,000 mu of rice and fishery industry, 100,000 mu of citrus industry, 50,000 mu of woody oil industry, and 250,000 mu of characteristic agriculture have formed a new modern industrial pattern.
Longchang underground brackish water and saline alkali water are mostly the problem, drinking water safety has become a problem. After the completion of Longchang No. 1 Water Plant, the water supply pipe network was extended to most villages and towns, and 70,000 cubic meters of water was collected from Guyu Lake every day for purification and treatment, ensuring the drinking water problem of 800,000 people. The water replenishment of Guyu Lake is all transported by tuo irrigation. Under the severe drought conditions in 2022 and 2023, the Tuo irrigation project ensured the normal production and life of Longchang.
In the past, Longchang City Area was less than 5 square kilometers. With the guarantee of water sources, the city's population has increased year by year, and the area has expanded by more than five times, and the size of the city today has grown to nearly 27 square kilometers.
In 1951, during the drought, Longchang Prefecture was forced to be abolished and moved to Luzhou, and many large enterprises under construction were relocated. After the construction of the Tuo irrigation project, Longchang industry and commerce gradually prospered. Today, with the development zone as the core, the glass pottery industrial park and the Guihuajing area as the two wings, Longchang has vigorously developed five major industrial clusters of mechanical auto parts, food and medicine, textile and garment, glass ceramics and new materials, and the site scale of the double "50 billion park" industrial cluster.
Guyu Lake is the Dunjiang reservoir of Longchang Tuo Irrigation Project, with a water surface of 5 square kilometers and 6 large and small islands in the lake. It inhabits 100,000 migratory birds of 72 species each year. Guyu Lake has become a 4A-level tourist attraction.
Confucius Park overlooking Guyu Lake Photo by Xu Kai
Without Tuoguan, there would be no Longchang today! The Tuo irrigation project is a life foundation project, a people's livelihood project and a development project, and has brought great economic and social benefits into play. Longchang was awarded the "Hometown of Fish and Rice in Western China" and the first batch of demonstration counties (cities) with strong industrial counties in the province; Bring happiness and sweetness to the people's life, the "migratory bird paradise" Guyu Lake is famous, and urban and rural residents effectively meet the water supply; It has brought significant improvements in the appearance of urban and rural areas, and Longchang has won the honor of provincial garden city, successfully withdrawn from counties to build a city, and awarded the national sanitary city.
The Tuo irrigation project is a spiritual monument
In those difficult years, the builders of the Tuojiang Project faced problems such as backward equipment and technology, food shortages, and material shortages, and were not afraid of hardship, sacrifice, and heroic struggle, and were committed to gnawing down "hard bones".
Most of the materials needed for the project are slats of stone mined on the spot, one weighing six or seven hundred pounds, and everyone hammer by hammer chiseled and dug one by one. The mountain road is narrow and rugged, in addition to using plate carts and trolleys to carry stones, basically rely on manual lifting, everyone's hands are worn out, feet are scratched, shoulders are scratched, mud is pasted to stop bleeding and continue to fight, some are broken hands hanging an arm to work. At that time, the grain on the construction site was rationed at a monthly ration of about 43 catties per person, and wild vegetables were dug up to fill the stomach if they were not full; If you don't have a house to live in, you build a shack in the wild or borrow a local farmer's grass house or cow house; If there is no bed, make a simple bed out of wood or lay a bed of firewood on the ground; Draft, face washing, and foot washing are all solved by streams and ponds; Many people work in straw shoes and single clothes on the construction site in winter. In the project, a total of 35,400 cubic meters of stone was installed, 7.12 million cubic meters of earth and stone were completed, 307 people were disabled due to work, some were left with lifelong disabilities and could not take care of themselves, 37 heroes gave their lives heroically, the youngest was only 20 years old, and built this immortal monument with youth and blood and even life.
Construction of Hu's hometown militia company Wang Minqia in November 1979
During the decade of turmoil, work and social order came to a virtual standstill. However, in the face of drought and water shortage, which seriously affected the production and life of the people of Longchang, the party and government leaders of Longchang insisted on proceeding from the interests of the masses, practicing their original aspirations, undertaking their mission, ruling for the people and living up to the people, and making every effort to build the Tuo Irrigation Project. Comrade Yang Chao, the provincial leader at the time, coordinated and promoted it from a high position many times, emphasizing that the Tuojiang project was not only a project in Longchang, but also a project in Sichuan. Relevant provincial-level departments give priority to ensuring the funds and materials required for the project, and promptly study and solve problems. Neijiang Prefectural Party Committee (Neijiang Municipal Party Committee) and Neijiang County Party Committee (Dongxing District Party Committee) are concerned about people's livelihood and take into account the overall situation, and take the initiative in coordinating land, support materials, compensation for young seedlings, project promotion, mass resettlement, dispute mediation, etc., to ensure the strong and orderly progress of the project. The Longchang County Party Committee regards the implementation of the Tuo irrigation project and solving the problem of water shortage among the masses as the top priority, mobilizes the efforts of the whole county to repair the Tuo irrigation, and goes all out to carry out construction and relieve people's worries.
From beginning to end, the Tuo irrigation project has embodied the spirit of adhering to the truth, adhering to ideals, emancipating the mind, and making innovations and breakthroughs. The Longchang County Party Committee resisted the erroneous trend of thought, broke the old thinking, and made a scientific decision and major decision to build Tuojiang irrigation and divert water in Neijiang County, dozens of kilometers away, and creatively solve the problem of water shortage. In the construction of the project, innovative methods and methods were carried out, and the first phase of the project implemented the "five determinations" responsibility system of fixed tasks, fixed time, fixed quality, fixed location, and fixed materials, and the second phase of the project implemented the "big package" responsibility system of package tasks, construction period, package quality, package materials, and package investment, implemented responsibilities, detailed tasks, mobilized the enthusiasm and initiative of the broad masses of cadres and the masses, and ensured that the project was advanced quickly and well. Strengthen technological innovation, adapt the construction of trunk canals to local conditions and mountains, and make full use of local stone carving technology to show bluestone culture and artistic atmosphere; In the seventies and eighties, water was lifted through water wheel pumps, and in the nineties, technology was changed to electric irrigation, which kept pace with the times and operated efficiently and with high quality.
In the construction of the Tuo Irrigation Project, whether it is an area benefiting from irrigation or a non-beneficiary area, whether it is a Party member cadre or the ordinary people, regardless of local interests and personal gains and losses, it has always been united and cooperative, and willing to contribute. 926 households and 4,145 people relocated without conditions, leaving their homes for generations without asking for a single relocation fee. Many of the tools used in project construction, such as sledgehammers, hammers, and bamboo baskets, were donated by ordinary people or brought by builders. Many people can only rest for two days in three or five months, walk hundreds of miles back home, and still have no complaints.
The spirit of "serving the people, working hard, making selfless dedication, pioneering and innovating" displayed in the process of Tuoguan Project embodies the party's fundamental purpose, glorious tradition and fine work style, is a precious spiritual wealth that is hard-won and must be inherited, and is a powerful spiritual pillar and inexhaustible spiritual driving force that inspires us to work hard and move forward courageously. The Tuo irrigation project will also be a cultural support for rural revitalization, red resources study tourism, integrated development and construction of agriculture, culture and tourism, cadre training, ideological and political teaching, mass education, and spiritual civilization construction.
Author: Lin Changhong Member of Sichuan Writers Association, Vice Chairman of Longchang Literary Association. His essays, poems, novels, screenplays, etc. have been published in publications such as "Chinese Literary Artist", "Sichuan Daily", "Ancient Legends", "International Daily" and so on. He has edited and published many local documents such as "Longchang Poverty Alleviation Story Collection", and his representative works include the novels "The Legend of Bashu Pao", "Qingshi Edge" and "Moon Slope". In addition, many social science papers have won awards in Sichuan Province and Neijiang City, and he was the guest speaker of Phoenix TV's 5-episode documentary "Disappearing Rivers and Lakes - The Story of Paoge".