Chapter 326: The "Central Canal" Project
When Constantinoo said he would send the Ndebele to dig canals in the eastern region, he wasn't just making an idle remark. A massive project has already completed its geological surveys and is preparing to break ground.
The East African government calls this project the "Central Canal" project. Its main goal is to link three major rivers in Central Province and develop their navigational value. These three major rivers run from north to south: the Wami River, the Little Rhine River (the Rufua River), and the Rufiji River.
Among them, the Wami–Little Rhine River flows from the semiarid Dodoma region into the Morogoro region's inland wetlands, then extends onward to the coastal cities, eventually reaching the Bagamoyo area. Its drainage area is about 62,000 square kilometers: the Wami River's basin covers about 43,000 square kilometers, while the Little Rhine River's basin is about 18,000 square kilometers. Within its watershed, there are about a dozen lakes larger than 0.1 square kilometers. What in a previous era were Tanzania's well-known Morogoro National Park and Saadani National Park both lie in this basin.
In the Tanzania of earlier times, that basin was an economically developed region. Tanzania's largest city, Dar es Salaam, and its capital, Dodoma, were both located there. The situation is similar in East Africa today: it's also the region with the greatest development. First Town, Dar es Salaam, and Bagamoyo—three of East Africa's top ten cities—are all here, plus Dodoma, capital of Highland Province. That suggests great future potential.
The Rufiji River basin was Tanzania's largest basin in the past, covering about 177,400 square kilometers—one-fifth of the country's total area. The Rufiji is also Tanzania's largest river, providing about 25% of the country's renewable water resources. The basin's elevation varies from sea level at the Indian Ocean to about 3,000 meters in the Mbeya area. The climate shifts from the humid tropics in the east to temperate highlands in the south.
East Africa's plan for river development focuses primarily on the middle and lower sections of these three rivers, where the terrain is fairly level—namely, the eastern coastal plain.
Once the project is complete, it will extend over some 70,000 square kilometers of these three rivers' basins. It will enable transport of both passengers and goods along the canal, opening up vital "meridians" in Central Province's transportation system.
…
May 3, 1871.
Qiweite Palace.
Vaskov, the Austrian hydraulic engineer who serves as chief designer of the canal project, displayed a model to Constantinoo and other East African officials, explaining the construction plan for the "Central Canal."
Vaskov said, "At present, our plan is to build a canal—about forty-seven kilometers long—from the upper reaches of the Little Rhine River to connect with the middle section of the Rufiji River. Then, via Nazka Lake in the eastern Mpanga area, it will link to the Rufiji. That way, water from the Rufiji can naturally flow down into the Little Rhine according to the terrain."
Constantinoo asked, "Mr. Vaskov, looking at the model, there are two tributaries feeding into Nazka Lake from above. The terrain there should slope from northwest to southeast, so wouldn't it be the Little Rhine River's water flowing into the Rufiji instead?"
Pointing at the model, Vaskov replied, "Your Majesty, overall the Rufiji River basin lies higher than the Little Rhine. The Little Rhine basin is quite unusual: its northwest portion is an extension of the East African highlands, and the southern Rufiji basin is also higher than the Little Rhine basin. Essentially, the Little Rhine region is a low-lying area in East Africa.
"Indeed, in the upper region near Nazka Lake, the terrain slopes from northwest to southeast—water always flows downhill, of course. But east of Nazka Lake, the slope shifts the other way, leading into the lower-lying Little Rhine basin. The land where Nazka Lake sits forms a sort of high ground, acting as the watershed between the Little Rhine and the Rufiji.
"So if we open up a passage to the northeast of Nazka Lake and then dig a channel to draw water from that higher ground into the Little Rhine Plain, that solves the problem."
Everyone studied the spot on the model where Vaskov pointed. Although the model showed a flat plain, Vaskov's on-site survey found that, while mostly level, there is still some difference in elevation.
Constantinoo asked, "So does that elevation difference not impede canal construction?"
Vaskov responded, "Exactly. Compared to Austria, the terrain differences here amount to nothing. All we need to do is dig the channel from Nazka Lake southward to the Little Rhine Plain a meter or two deeper in places to ensure normal canal operation. It's only about three kilometers in total. The extra workload isn't huge."
Constantinoo said, "Then let's dig it deeper."
After all, it's native laborers who will dig the canal, and Constantinoo doesn't feel the slightest guilt about that.
Vaskov continued, "So that's the southern route for the Central Canal—mainly connecting the Rufiji and Little Rhine Rivers. For the northern route, linking the Little Rhine and Wami Rivers, there are two proposals, and we'll need Your Majesty's final decision."
Constantinoo said, "Let's hear them."
Vaskov explained, "First is an option to build a channel at the lowest reaches of both rivers, near the coast. That would achieve the goal of linking the Little Rhine to the Wami, but it would parallel the sea route, and the two lines would be quite close—rather like the Grand Canal in your own country's Jiang–Hang region. The advantage is easier construction.
"The second plan is inland, near Morogoro: a canal running northwest to southeast, hugging the eastern side of the Uluguru Mountains. This route is nearly twice as long as the first plan, demanding more extensive construction and greater technical skill."
Constantinoo asked, "Can we meet the technical requirements for that?"
Vaskov seemed fully confident. "Your Majesty, I have plenty of experience from my work in Austria, and you're aware how complex that terrain can be—far more so than the East African coastal plain. Building a canal here is no more difficult than building one in Hungary. But if we think from an economic perspective, I lean toward plan one. The eastern region is more developed anyway, plus the canal would be shorter and cost less to build."
Constantinoo said, "We must think beyond the present. While the east is somewhat more established now, the interior is developing quickly, too. Each plan has its pros and cons. Could we possibly build both routes at once?"
Vaskov replied, "In theory, yes, but that would double the project's cost in terms of manpower."
In other words, it would mean preparing for double the laborers to potentially die as a result of the project.
"Heh heh." Constantinoo gave a cold laugh. "No need to worry about that. I've already secured plenty of manpower for the canal work, but they'll need some time to arrive. For now, we can start with the route that's simplest and requires the smallest amount of digging."
Vaskov, for his part, didn't mind. He knew East Africa was hardly lacking in slaves. "The easiest route is to connect the Wami River and Little Rhine at their downstream sections. The smallest workload is linking the Rufiji and Little Rhine. Judging by all factors, the canal from the Rufiji to the Little Rhine best suits Your Majesty's requirements."
Constantinoo said, "Then let's start with building the canal from the Rufiji River to the Little Rhine. As for the canal between the Wami and the Little Rhine, we'll wait until we have enough manpower."
The Central Canal project, spanning about 180 kilometers, is divided into three sections—roughly the same length as the Suez Canal—and will link the Little Rhine River, the Wami River, and the Rufiji River.
Specifically, the canal from the lower Wami River to the Little Rhine is called Canal One; from the upper Wami River to the upper Little Rhine is Canal Two; and from Nazka Lake on the middle Rufiji River to the upper Little Rhine is Canal Three.
In two of those stretches, water will flow from the Rufiji or Wami toward the Little Rhine. Once built, they will not only improve navigability but also provide irrigation water along the way, further boosting the potential of these three river basins.
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