sbdcsierra Chapter 4: Li Zhou's Abilities, the Future of the Jiangnan Region Beyond the Great Wall!
Chapter 4: Li Zhou's Abilities, the Future of the Jiangnan Region Beyond the Great Wall!
Edge of the Taklamakan Desert.
Inside a makeshift command post somewhere.
Zhao Qing, the newly appointed city lord of Oasis City, sat in front of his computer.
He didn't do anything, letting the sand on the table control the keyboard and the web pages on the screen keep switching.
Anyone who didn't know the situation would find this scene unbelievable.
However, Zhao Qing was already used to it.
Li Zhou, as the embodiment of the desert, uses sand grains to control the keyboard; this is just one of his abilities.
On the screen chat box.
Li Zhou replied, "Thank you, Lord Zhao. I haven't been online for a long time, and I'm quite excited."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Qing smiled slightly.
He had been in contact with Li Zhou for several days and had a general understanding of the other party's capabilities.
Li Zhou can control the weather and celestial phenomena of the entire Tak Desert, as well as any tangible and intangible things such as sand and stones.
However, there was no internet in the desert before, so Li Zhou couldn't go online.
Zhao Qing said, "Li Zhou, the main reason I came to see you today is to ask how to grow crops in the desert. After all, the Taklamakan Desert is extremely short of water, and agriculture needs water the most."
Li Zhou has already learned that the Desert Oasis City project has been approved.
With the government investing 5 trillion yuan, it will definitely make great strides in the agricultural sector.
He replied directly: "The edge of the Taklamakan Desert borders a tributary of the Tarim River, and I can draw water from the Tarim River to irrigate crops."
Take rice cultivation as an example.
Each acre of rice requires approximately 500 cubic meters of water from planting to harvest.
The natural runoff of the Tarim River Basin is around 400 billion cubic meters.
If all of it were extracted, it could irrigate 8000 million mu of paddy fields.
Of course, complete extraction would affect the water supply for residents in the Tarim River basin, causing various adverse effects.
Based on the calculation of 200 billion cubic meters.
I can control the evaporation of water resources in the desert to support the planting of 4000 million mu of rice paddies.
Upon hearing this...
Zhao Qing raised an eyebrow slightly.
4000 million mu of paddy fields is indeed a lot.
However, it still lags behind in the development of agriculture in the desert oasis city.
Clearly, even if Li Zhou were the embodiment of the desert, he could not fundamentally solve the problem of insufficient water resources.
At present, the main rivers bordering the Taklamakan Desert are the Tarim River and its four major tributaries.
The Tarim River is the largest inland river in the Xia Kingdom. Its main stream meanders eastward along the northern edge of the Taklamakan Desert and eventually flows into Taitma Lake. The world's largest wild poplar forest belt is distributed on both sides of its river channel, with an annual runoff of 400 billion cubic meters.
The Hotan River, formed by the confluence of the Karakash Ten River and the Yulongka Ten River, traverses the Taklamakan Desert and flows from south to north into the Tarim River. It is the only river that crosses the entire desert, with an annual runoff of 21.9 billion cubic meters.
The Yarkand River originates from the Pamir Plateau and the Karakoram Mountains, flows through the western edge of the desert, and joins the Tarim River near Xiaojiak in Awat County, with an annual runoff of 65.1 billion cubic meters.
The Aksu River originates from the Tianshan Mountains and is located on the north side of the Taklamakan Desert. It is the largest and most stable source of the Tarim River, supplying water to the main stream of the Tarim River year-round, with an annual runoff of 80.5 billion cubic meters.
These rivers together maintain the ecological balance of the Taklamakan Desert, support approximately 1500 million mu of poplar forests, and provide water resources for more than 1200 million people in southern Xinjiang.
Even including these rivers, it is still not enough to meet the agricultural needs of the desert oasis city.
Li Zhou replied, "Lord Zhao, based on my current abilities, there are four ways to solve the problem of insufficient water resources in the Tak Desert once and for all."
The first option is to launch the Hongqi River Western Water Diversion Project.
Using the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Nujiang River, and Lancang River as water sources, a loop route is constructed around the edge of the Tibetan Plateau to introduce water from the southeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau into the arid northwest region, achieving gravity flow throughout the entire process. The annual water transfer volume is 600 billion cubic meters, providing a permanent solution to the water shortage problem.
The second option is to blast a 50-kilometer-long opening in the Himalayas, allowing the warm currents of the Indian Ocean to flow northward through this opening, cross the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and eventually flow into Northwest China, thus turning Northwest China into a "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall".
The third method involves diverting water from Tibet into Xinjiang.
Using the Yarlung Tsangpo River as a water source, a direct waterway will be built to bring water into the Taklamakan Desert.
Compared to the first method, this method is slightly less expensive.
The fourth method is to purify groundwater.
As the embodiment of the desert.
I can clearly sense that there are more than 80 trillion cubic meters of groundwater beneath the desert.
The thickness of the freshwater deposits is generally around 30 meters, making extraction difficult.
In addition, this groundwater is not drinkable directly, with a mineralization level of 3-10 grams per liter, and needs to be purified before it can be used directly.
Online reports indicate that groundwater with a mineralization of 3 grams per liter can be purified into irrigation water using photovoltaic electrolysis and membrane treatment technologies, with a treatment cost of approximately 2.1 yuan per ton.
Purifying 1000 billion cubic meters of groundwater would cost 2100 billion yuan, not including upfront investment and labor costs.
However, I can move this groundwater to the surface, making it easier for you to purify it on a large scale.
Here are four options.
Zhao Qing gave a wry smile.
The first approach, which has been considered domestically for some time, is estimated to cost around 4 trillion yuan.
The second method is not very practical and can be skipped.
The third method seems to be the lowest cost, but the Yarlung Tsangpo River and the Taklamakan Desert are more than 1400 kilometers apart, and it requires crossing many high mountain ranges, so the cost would be at least 1 trillion yuan.
The fourth method is also very costly, requiring the installation of a large number of photovoltaic devices and the purchase of a massive amount of purification equipment.
That's the thought that crossed my mind.
Zhao Qing made the decision: "Then let's choose the third and fourth options, and proceed with both at the same time."
The desert oasis city draws water from the Tarim River to support the planting of 4000 million mu of rice paddies, while also launching the Tibetan water diversion project and the desert groundwater purification project.
The national plan for developing desert oasis cities is not something that can be accomplished overnight; it requires a long period of time.
We will take a long-term view and proceed gradually.
Upon hearing this...
Li Zhou nodded secretly.
With 5 trillion yuan in available funds, the Desert Oasis City can indeed launch these two national strategic projects simultaneously.
Next.
After chatting for a while longer, Zhao Qing and Li Zhou took their leave.
As the lord of Oasis City, he had many things to attend to and could not stay here for long.
Seeing Zhao Qing's departing figure.
Li Zhou felt somewhat regretful.
He can easily mobilize the groundwater beneath the desert, but he cannot actively purify it.
Despite having groundwater reserves exceeding those of eight Yangtze Rivers, it cannot be used directly…
This feeling is very frustrating.
Of course, after this groundwater is purified for irrigation, it can remain in the desert for recycling under his control.
The only thing lacking is time!
As long as groundwater is continuously purified, and the project to divert water from Tibet to Xinjiang is completed.
At that time, the Takh Desert will become a true "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall"!