Construction in rainy seasons is a tough battle against wind, rain and flood waters, as well as a vivid testament to the dedication of water conservancy builders in overcoming hardships. Faced with persistent drizzles, turbid surging floods and tight construction schedules, the construction team of the Shield Rubber Dam project rose to challenges and delivered precise solutions. Adopting innovative construction strategies of sectional construction, progressive advancement and simultaneous building and water storage, the team forged a safe, controllable, high-quality and efficient path for project advancement amid wind and waves, safeguarding river peace with exquisite craftsmanship.
The traditional full-section dam construction mode is severely hampered by rising river water and rain erosion during rainy seasons and flood periods, making construction almost stagnant. To tackle the bottlenecks of rainy-season construction, the project team formulated scientific and targeted plans according to local conditions. The overall dam body was divided into multiple independent construction units, and a progressive construction mechanism of "installation, forming, water storage and stabilization section by section" was implemented.
Completed dam sections are immediately put into operation for water retaining and storage, giving full play to the project’s protective functions and effectively resisting the impact of flood currents. For unfinished sections, the team seizes every rain break to carry out intensive construction and maximize effective working hours. This decentralized and section-wise construction strategy has completely reversed the passive situation of rainy-season construction. It transforms rainfall, once a major construction obstacle, into adjustable, controllable and utilizable water resources, achieving a balance between flood prevention and project construction.
In response to the dynamic hydrological changes in rainy seasons, the project team precisely zoned the construction waters into operation areas and water storage areas, establishing a new construction pattern of zoned management and dynamic balance. In operation areas, local cofferdams and drainage works create dry working surfaces, ensuring the standardized and refined implementation of dam anchoring, installation, pouring and other processes. Water storage areas normally retain upstream inflow to sustain ecological water discharge downstream, strictly adhering to ecological protection requirements.
A real-time hydrological monitoring system was deployed throughout the project to track changes in water level, flow and rainfall, enabling flexible adjustment of construction and water storage schedules. Each newly anchored and installed dam section immediately serves as a flood and water retaining barrier for subsequent construction, forming a virtuous cycle of "immediate protection upon completion, barrier-free construction and uninterrupted water storage". This realizes seamless integration and synchronized progress of project construction and ecological water regulation.
Amid continuous rain showers, welding sparks sparkle against raindrops as solid foundations are forged with meticulous craftsmanship. Alongside surging waves, the newly built dam stands firm, taming the restless river currents. The innovative sectional construction and integrated operation mode not only effectively relieves flood prevention pressures and eliminates potential safety hazards during flood-season construction, but also brings forward and fully releases the water storage benefits of the project.
Turbid waves subside, and tranquil blue waters emerge. The once turbulent upstream river is tamed into a serene lake by the progressively completed Shield Rubber Dam, with clear water flowing steadily to nourish the surrounding lands. Wind and rain rage day and night, yet construction never halts. Rain-soaked work uniforms, brightly lit construction sites throughout the night, and repeated precision calibrations all embody the water conservancy practitioners’ spirit of racing against time, pursuing perfection and forging ahead fearlessly.
Storms serve as the test paper, and dedication delivers the answer. The fierce competition against rainy seasons and flood waters ultimately manifests in the steadily rising water level and the gradually taking-shape dam profile. Tempering original aspirations through storms and securing river peace with solid efforts, the Shield Rubber Dam construction team demonstrates the fearless spirit, scientific planning and pragmatic work style of modern water conservancy builders, composing an inspiring chapter of overcoming adversities and forging ahead steadily by the riverside.
