Alashuizamen Sluices
The Alashuizamen Sluices is an immense sluice gate, of 22 km wide, at the mouth of the Antya River. The Teikoku michi IA 1 crosses over the sluices and serves as one of the more important connection points between the western and eastern parts of Zhongji Province. Therefore, it's widely recognised as border of the old Kildarian inner lands and recognised among Jingdaoese as a world wonders (for which it's advertised and receives millions of tourists annually).
Its construction began in 1660 AN, at the start of the reign of the Chidao Emperor. Despite the young Emperor's age, several servants witnessed how the three year old suddenly received a prophecy, which led to the start of the construction works (critical voices, pointing out that those plans were already in motion at that time, as some officials had been bribed to commence this megalomanic work, were deemed untrustworthy).
It became one of the many, but largest, sluices along the Antya River to control the water levels. Those lands, while fertile, had been very dependable on the natural elements. Droughts became a thing of the past, thanks to the sluices, as water could be reverted to places which need it.
The sluice gates, which separate Lake Kaiming and Carama Bay from each other, also serve as a hydroelectric power station. It's the largest of its kind and dominates the skyline of any shipper wanting to travel stream upwards to Lake Christoph.
Aesthetically, the sluices were decorated with marble archers, pointing there arrows towards Carama Bay and any potential enemy. Along the sluice, plaques were placed to commemorate the heroes who died (and survived) the Battle of Carama Bay during the War of Lost Brothers. Every few kilometres, travellers are able to hold a pit stop, watch the panorama and visit the small patriotic museum decorated to war heroes (for many Jingdaoese, the sluices and the collectables from each museum are a holiday destination themselves).
Its hydroelectric dam system provided 57% of the electric power of the Zhongji, Hondon, Dazijin, Heliu, Gong and Liao Provinces in 1694 AN. With infrastructural improvements underway, as outlined in the G.A.I.N. Projects, technicians expressed the hope that the new dam hydroelectric dam power station would replace 70% of all energy needs of the Empire by 1710 AN. Critics, mostly from among the military, warn for the sluices' vulnerability and warn against over-reliance on it and consider the plans optimistic and a waste of funding.
Since 1695 AN, the sluices were placed under the Alashuizamen Dam and Sluice Authority, which controls its budget. Strikes are forbidden, as its employees are seen as critical workers for the welfare of the nation.
