Rebirth: Super Banking System Chapter 2408 - 2248: World-Class Engineering Marvel
Previously on Rebirth: Super Banking System...
Six times?
Damn!
Is it possible to get more lavish? For stopping specific rivers from getting blocked and messing up flood control, they've actually made it with six times the storage, unless your fortune is ridiculously terrible.
Or else.
There's simply no chance of flushing out this system.
Awesome!
Wealthy.
Willful.
But it's something to emulate, since surprises can't be dodged entirely, like avalanches or debris flows, which aren't out of the question, and must be guarded against ahead of time.
Hmm!
This needs to go into the report.
After all.
This isn't constructing a home, but channeling water. If planned properly, a sixfold capacity for water storage won't demand excessive extra expense.
Twenty percent rise in costs.
In return for total safety assurance.
Worth it.
Extremely worth it!
...
Next.
During the return journey.
They spotted, along this hilly region's waterway, the frequently crumbling slopes on either side getting fortified, with sturdy steel tubes hammered into the rock.
The mesh covers everything thickly.
The longer you observe.
The more impressed you become; it seems like hardly any big alterations are needed, simply adopt this proven approach from here, even though expenses will jump a lot, it's still tolerable.
Infrastructure.
Has always gone beyond mere spending.
A massive undertaking.
Surveying.
Planning.
Building.
Supplies.
...
Every stage generates huge societal gains, and even if a hundred-million-dollar structure gets erected only to be torn down later, countless folks in the supply chain profit.
Jobs, created.
Spending, boosted.
The economy stays in motion.
...
The following day.
Morning.
They reached a broad riverbank, buzzing with activity, though the view was somewhat astonishing—utterly rugged.
As observed.
The bank.
Five meters from the stream.
A ditch ten meters across and roughly one meter deep had been excavated, followed by a pile driver slamming a ten-meter-long, thirty-centimeter-thick concrete post into place.
"Thunk!"
"Thunk!"
"Thunk!"
It got pounded down.
In two lines.
Afterward.
Workers fastened steel bars on top, forming a base-like frame, then filled it with concrete; at a quick look, both sides of the entire river appeared treated this way.
Close by.
The local staff explained:
"This stage of the hydropower build focuses on stabilizing the river's breadth, to stop banks from crumbling; what you're seeing is the expanded river edge."
"Naturally."
"Not every stretch of river requires widening, just select sections based on need and build ease, and such factors, so."
"Down the line."
"Should the water level surge here past the warning mark, we can swiftly set up barriers on the level surface to manage the flood."
"..."
Though.
The review group admired this inwardly.
Regrettably.
They understood too, this could only be studied for now, to apply it would take another decade or two; the present setup isn't central to the core flood defense work.
A touch of display element lurks in this.
Ahead.
The ledge gets constructed.
Stairs will lead down to the water too, and right at the stair's end, a barrier will rise to warn folks that past it, depths increase.
Clearly.
This forms an enhancement initiative, for the immediate future, they can merely envy it, but once finished, it should turn into a stunning attraction for tourism and views.
Possibly.
Elevate to a global feat of engineering.
"How many waterways will get this kind of makeover?"
One person inquired.
"Every river averaging over twenty meters wide will feature concrete stair-like banks; narrower ones, it varies."
"..."
Fine.
Plenty of funds.
Spend freely.
I reckon.
Earning a spot among the planet's engineering marvels is inevitable. Soon enough, they moved upstream to a spot where the step bank stood complete.
Right away.
A breathtaking view.
The bank.
The concrete ledge, level with the terrain, the landward edge smoothed out, with grassy fields laid flat for fifteen meters, dotted by decorative shrubs.
Further inland.
Lies verdant paddy fields.
By the water.
The stairs stretch toward the flow.
Three meters beyond the bottom step under water sits a line of fences, low at just one meter over the surface, marked with depth indicators.
Upon figuring it.
The depth there measures only half a meter.
Plus.
Thanks to the pristine clarity, the submerged stairs remain vaguely visible. A few fishermen dotted the bank, casually angling from the steps.
That vista.
Truly appealing.
Still.
The deeper you gaze.
The stronger the sense of it being a vanity endeavor.
"Snap!"
The team captured images.
For keepsakes.
"Impressive sight."
"Water's so pure."
"Gorgeous!"
"..."
The inspection delegates voiced endless compliments, yet Sun Jiang stayed composed, given the project's long run, he'd witnessed it plenty.
His mind.
Cherished it.
He'd even visited to angle multiple times, then returned home to prepare a lavish fish meal personally; netting fish here is banned, but rod fishing is fine.
Hence.
Large specimens abound within.
Genuine wild catches.
At that moment.
Curiosity struck again.
"So, does the lack of bank vegetation harm the aquatic balance?" As certain species depend on riparian flora.
Ahead.
It appears attractive.
Yet.
Might it ruin the waterway's natural habitat? Facing this query, the local guide kept smiling, "We've definitely thought of that."
"Beyond the fence."
"The shallows reach half a meter. It's merely new construction that trimmed some water weeds, without truly wrecking the near-shore biology."
"Before long."
"They'll regrow. Look further upriver at older sites; the bank flora system has nearly restored itself."
Upon listening.
All nodded in agreement.
Ah, understood.
Sure enough.
How could such a vital concern get overlooked by the authorities? Watching the riverside anglers, quite a few felt tempted to drop a line themselves.
Sadly.
They had to settle for imagining it, perhaps at best inspect the day's take.
Thus.
Drawing near.
They approached an elderly fisherman's setup, clad simply in a bamboo hat, sans fancy equipment, using a basic rod, utterly relaxed.
"Mind if we check?"
"Go ahead."
The elder jumped at the crowd's arrival, but after the guide's clarification, he agreed promptly.
With approval.
They lifted the creel.
Wow!
Solid catch, over a dozen fish, the big ones two to three pounds, the small at hand's span; a brief talk revealed he was a nearby grower, done with field inspections.
He fished to kill time.
Existence.
Pretty relaxed.
Nearby.
Sun Jiang overheard the elder lauding the initiative glowingly, grinning inwardly, for this rang true from the heart. Beyond other merits, Ling's standing among common folk soared immensely.
Families idolize him.
Farmers' livelihoods soared markedly since Ling's leadership.
Vehicles.
Luxury homes.
Were once dreams unattainable, and to shield against cheap harvests hurting growers, the state buy rate tops market value, with added incentives.
Thus.
Agriculture.
Around here, yearly earnings aren't meager, and on average, local farmers' incomes have at least tripled from years back.