Chongqing - A new drilling technique has made construction 50 times more efficient in a trial project involving a traditional underground irrigation system in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, according to the 13th Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

The project at Liushuquan Farm used modern directional drilling technology to install 700 meters of piping in a trial section of the karez irrigation system. Karez systems carry groundwater through underground channels, reducing evaporation in arid regions.

Xu Wenjun, a specialist in traditional karez excavation, worked with a directional drilling team from Henan Province as part of a technical assistance program for Xinjiang. Over six months, they developed and tested the new method. The technique uses perforated pipes to collect groundwater while retaining the traditional arrangement of vertical shafts.

Traditionally, digging a karez required workers to excavate narrow underground passages by hand. Yu Qingzhong, an 85-year-old craftsman who has spent years digging karez tunnels, recalled that a three-person team could advance no more than one meter a day. He has helped excavate eight karez systems.

Manual excavation carries risks of falling rocks and tunnel collapses, while regular sediment removal adds to the cost of maintaining the underground channels. The new method reduces risks during construction and is expected to lower future maintenance needs.

Liushuquan Farm has 85 karez systems, with underground channels extending more than 40 kilometers. Together, they supply 80% of the farm's agricultural water needs and sustain an oasis covering more than 2,600 hectares.

Wang Xinpeng, a water resources expert at Tarim University, said the project shows how modern engineering can support traditional irrigation systems while preserving their cultural and ecological significance.

Similar underground irrigation systems have long been used in arid regions of Asia and the Middle East. The project in Xinjiang offers an example of how these traditional systems can be adapted to meet modern engineering needs.