Chapter 434: Far Ahead
Human intervention in natural rivers can lead to environmental damage and unpredictable disasters due to the alteration of river characteristics.
There are real-world examples of this happening. However, Ernst didn't see it as a problem without solutions—he viewed it as a matter of trade-offs. If the benefits of human intervention outweighed the downsides, then the East African government had a responsibility to act accordingly.
Under natural conditions, rivers tend to meander due to the Coriolis effect, but this meandering doesn't expand indefinitely. Once a river's curvature reaches a certain point, the flow slows down, leading to sediment deposition. So what would happen if a naturally meandering river were artificially straightened?
A straightened river, lacking natural buffers, is more prone to flooding. Straightening also reduces the watershed area, thereby decreasing the river's utility. Areas that previously relied on surface water for drinking and irrigation are then forced to use groundwater. But with the reduction of watershed area, groundwater recharge diminishes as well, leading to decreased soil moisture retention. This water shortage can have significant effects on both flora and fauna—and ultimately, on human survival.
Additionally, straightening rivers often leads to eutrophication. Channelization lowers the water table, resulting in a widespread decline of wetland plants. Over time, natural environments along the riverbanks—such as alluvial forests—begin to disappear, giving way to hardwood forests. Even if natural meanders are straightened artificially, the river will eventually begin to form meanders again.
This 21st-century view was something Ernst strongly agreed with. But that didn't mean these problems had no solutions. It was similar to the Taoist concept of "governing by doing nothing"—ordinary people focused only on the "doing nothing," while the wise understood that non-action didn't mean inaction. Doing nothing blindly was foolish.
Ernst's approach was to work with nature—guiding East Africa's development according to natural laws to make the region more livable.
While conducting business in Europe, Ernst took some time to devise general strategies for river engineering in East Africa and sent his proposals via telegram to Konstantin:
River modification should be based on existing river courses. Straightening may be necessary, but the overall path of the river should remain close to its original location to prevent drastic changes in groundwater levels.Widening river channels will inevitably damage riverside vegetation. As rivers are widened, new vegetation must be transplanted along the banks to prevent erosion and sedimentation in the new channel.During river engineering, efforts must be made to avoid damaging the original riverbed and to minimize harm to aquatic life such as fish.Urban sewage should not be discharged directly into rivers or inland water bodies. Instead, new pipelines should be built to divert sewage directly into the ocean.For wetlands lost due to river straightening, small to medium-sized reservoirs should be built along the river's path to regulate water flow and support agricultural needs.Avoid breaking up the river network. Canal construction and river course alterations often disrupt the connections between tributaries and main rivers. For the sake of the future, these connections should be restored to allow rainwater to flow properly during the rainy season.
These six points constituted a general guiding framework. Konstantin later called Ernst to ask, "Ernst, don't you think your six suggestions are a bit overcautious?"
It was natural for Konstantin not to understand—people of that era generally lacked any concept of ecology or pollution.
Ernst replied, "Father, just follow my instructions. I'm not expecting perfection—if we get 70–80% of it done, that's already great. I'm just giving advice, not issuing absolute mandates."
Still feeling that his ideas were too abstract, Ernst began offering examples to convince Konstantin:
"Industrial development today is rough and unrefined. Hardly anyone pays attention to environmental concerns, simply because people haven't yet realized how destructive pollution can be. Take London, for example—the most industrialized city in the world."
"Factories in London emit black smoke and sewage, visibly damaging the environment. The smoke is somewhat manageable; the wind blows it around the world. And even so, London remains the 'City of Fog'—clearly, nature alone can't purify the air. The black smoke, once inhaled, is undeniably harmful. I can't provide scientific evidence, but the shortened lifespans and increased illnesses among factory workers speak for themselves."
"Then there's the issue of industrial wastewater, which is directly dumped into the Thames. The Thames has basically become a giant open sewer. Yet much of London's drinking water is drawn from it—how can that be healthy? The land near industrial discharge points is so polluted that not even grass can grow, let alone people. And this polluted water, full of impurities, contaminates the surrounding soil—damage that is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to reverse."
"Furthermore, cities should develop with people in mind. But right now, European cities are far worse environments than the countryside. You can see this clearly when comparing Hechingen to Stuttgart."
"East Africa doesn't reject industrialization—but it must follow a sustainable path. If we do things properly from the start, the future cost of repair and restoration will be much lower."
Currently, the Little Rhine River holds the same importance for East Africa as the Thames does for Britain. Since the capitals of both nations are situated along it, Ernst paid special attention to its management.
However, the Little Rhine's treatment strategy only applied to coastal areas. These were close enough to the sea that East Africa could construct drainage channels connecting directly to the ocean.
Ernst had already tested this approach during the construction of Soga City, building a separate sewage pipeline network that extended directly to the sea.
Domestic wastewater from First Town (which is essentially free of industry) is currently discharged into the Little Rhine. Ernst planned to connect First Town's sewer system to that of Soga, with final discharge occurring near the coast of Dar es Salaam.
This method was suitable for cities in Central Province, which were near the sea. For inland cities like Nairobi or Mbeya, sewage would still be discharged into rivers or lakes, eventually flowing into the ocean.
Protecting the environment might seem ahead of its time, but Ernst believed that since he had the means, he had a responsibility to lead such efforts in East Africa.
Doing so merely required more manpower and materials—and in East Africa, manpower was the cheapest resource. As for materials, their consumption would drive more production, further promoting industrialization.
The value of rivers like the Little Rhine lay in shipping, irrigation, and water supply. Dumping sewage into them might be convenient, but it was entirely unnecessary.
It was only because First Town wasn't an industrial city that the downstream farmlands irrigated by the Little Rhine hadn't suffered irreversible pollution.
In the future, when East Africans look back from the 21st century, they'll owe a debt of gratitude to Ernst's long-term vision for the compromises and efforts made today in protecting the environment.
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