SET SAIL HAINAN!
The construction of the Songtao Reservoir in Danzhou, a city on the tropical island province of Hainan, started in June 1958. Those working on the project calculated that they would need to build a dam 170 meters high in order to protect areas downstream from annual floods. However, lacking heavy equipment and materials such as concrete, the team had to complete the arduous task by hand from successive layers of rammed earth.
The passion and dedication of the workers saw them finally reach the required height more than a year later in August 1959. Today, the 3.3-billion-cubic-meter reservoir is the largest body of fresh water in Hainan and serves as the primary source of drinking and irrigation water for its northern and northwestern areas.
More importantly, the hardworking spirit embodied by the project, has become an important legacy for Hainan. With the development of
