From the perspective of outer space, the Earth appears as a striking blue planet, with an impressive 71 percent of its surface covered by water.
However, it is unfortunate that not every place on Earth has a sufficient supply of water suitable for drinking or agricultural use.
Do you think living in the desert is tough?
ЕThe relentless scorching sun, the sparse vegetation, and the frequent sandstorms.
It's fair to say that deserts are far from being hospitable environments.
Fortunately, humanity strives to change this situation wherever possible, endeavoring to bring water to the driest regions of the world.
To make this a reality, significant efforts, substantial investments, and bold engineering concepts are sometimes required.
The Kachhi Canal Project
In northern Balochistan, Pakistan, water scarcity is a critical issue.
This scarcity means that the region has a low population density and slow economic development.
For instance, despite the discovery of large natural gas reserves in Dera Bugti district, it remains one of the least developed areas in Pakistan.
The barren lands of this region yield poor harvests, and in many places, nothing can be cultivated at all.
Without water, development is simply impossible.
In 2002, Pakistani authorities decided to change this dire situation by embarking on an ambitious construction project.
The maximum flow capacity of the Kachhi Canal is 6,000 cusecs, which translates to 600,000 cubic meters of water per hour.
In just 60 minutes, this volume of water could fill 272 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Of course, the local people's dream is not about swimming pools but about securing water without relying on the rare rainfall.
It was expected that, within a few years, northern Balochistan would be covered in green fields with the sound of clear streams.
The original plan was to achieve this by 2008, quite some time ago now.
However, the construction soon came to a halt.
The reason, as often happens, was a lack of funding, and there were even calls to abandon the project altogether.
Imagine how disheartening it would be to have a cold glass of water on a hot day offered to you, only to have it taken away.
Features of the Canal
For the suffering people, where should the water come from?
Just 150 kilometers away flows the mighty Indus River, so securing water is not a problem at all.
The Kachhi Canal begins at the Taunsa Barrage, the most crucial dam on the Indus River.
Until recently, this dam controlled three operational canals, but with the construction of the Kachhi Canal on the right bank of the Indus, it became the fourth canal in this water network.
The first section of the canal was opened in 2017, but construction continues on the other sections.
The work is managed by WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority), an organization specializing in the construction of water infrastructure like dams and canals.
The Kachhi Canal Project was planned to proceed in three stages.
The first stage involves the construction of a 399-kilometer-long main canal.
The main section of this canal, which is 305 kilometers long, is in Punjab and already supplies water to local farmers.
This alone is a remarkable achievement, isn't it?
Additionally, a 94-kilometer section extends through Balochistan, reaching Dera Bugti district.
However, to transform the desert into a blooming garden, the main canal alone is far from sufficient.
From the main canal, a 105-kilometer-long network of irrigation branches extends.
Construction
The route for the canal has been meticulously selected so that water naturally flows toward the town of Sui in Balochistan, following the force of gravity.
This design eliminates the need for pump stations and extensive pipeline networks.
Nevertheless, constructing a 50-kilometer irrigation canal in this dry, roadless desert region poses significant engineering challenges.
Imagine working in a tractor's cab under the scorching sun, and you'll understand the immense difficulties faced by the construction workers.
In the first stage, the land is prepared with excavators removing the topsoil and digging the future canal's channel.
The excavated soil is loaded onto dump trucks and transported away from the construction site.
This means temporary roads must be built to allow heavy machinery to move smoothly.
Some of these roads will become permanent, serving canal maintenance, crop transport, and other purposes.
Thus, the Kachhi Canal is not just a water supply system but also a crucial infrastructure development project for the region.
The canal's bottom has a trapezoidal shape with a gentle slope, tailored to the soil characteristics of the area.
In rocky terrain, a canal with vertical sides would be feasible, but in this region, the sides are sloped to prevent bank collapse.
Additionally, to prevent accidents, the slopes must be reinforced.
During the project's first stage, 351 kilometers of the 399-kilometer main canal were reinforced.