Guarding the Clear Water and Benefiting the People of Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang | Concept | Tianshan Mountains
Looking at Xinjiang in Four Seasons: Looking at Xinjiang along Rivers and Lakes
Guangming Daily reporter Li Hui Shangjie, Zhao Minghao, Wang Yizhao, Dong Bei, Yan Jin
Water is the lifeline of economic and social development in Xinjiang. The desert and Gobi areas here account for over 40% of the total area, and the water resources per unit area are less than 10% of the world average. How to reasonably utilize and efficiently allocate water resources has become a millennium long question that generations of people in the oasis of the North South Desert of the Tianshan Mountains need to answer.
In recent years, Xinjiang has comprehensively implemented the water conservation priority, spatial balance, systematic governance, and dual efforts in water management, promoting the transformation of water management concepts and methods from extensive models to refined and scientific ones, allowing a vast expanse of green water to moisten the oasis and share ecological well-being with the people.
Changes in Concepts——
"System governance" deeply ingrained in people's hearts
In early autumn, walking into the Halakun Populus euphratica forest area in Keping County, Aksu Prefecture, the sky is blue and the trees are green. The murmuring water flows through the forest, and each Populus euphratica stands tall and upright. The 410000 acres of Populus euphratica forest's drinking water comes from the north reservoir of Yong'anba Reservoir in Tumushuke City, the Third Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, 110 kilometers away.
Starting from last year, in order to solve the problem of uneven distribution of water resources in time and space, Xinjiang has coordinated economic and social development and ecological environment protection, coordinated the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and local governments, coordinated upstream and downstream, left and right banks, and main and tributaries, and initially established a water diversion system that connects rivers and lakes, stores and releases water, and supports both abundant and dry seasons.
With this water diversion system, the Aksu River, Yerqiang River, and Kashgar River are interconnected and mutually beneficial. By 2022, 192 million cubic meters of water will be transferred, of which 92 million cubic meters will be transferred beyond the planned amount, effectively improving the ecological environment of the downstream Populus euphratica forest area.
In order to improve the efficiency of water management, Xinjiang firmly establishes the concept of "one game". Under the overall coordination and systematic allocation, the Tarim River, which is over 2000 kilometers long and composed of 144 rivers in nine major water systems, is known as the "mother river" of Xinjiang, surging with new vitality.
Through unremitting exploration and practice, the total amount guarantee and flexible allocation system of water resources in Xinjiang have achieved initial results. The ecological and economic benefits of water resources have achieved dual improvement, and water security has been effectively guaranteed, water resources have been efficiently utilized, and water ecology has significantly improved.
Method changes——
Use every drop of water carefully and meticulously
In September, as you enter Turpan, you enter the world of grapes. Many people are curious about how this "Huozhou", with an annual rainfall of only 16 millimeters but an evaporation rate of up to 3000 millimeters, has become the grape producing area with the longest history, largest area, highest yield, and best quality of grape cultivation in the country?
The answer is in the Karez well. For thousands of years, the working people have dug underground rivers with their hands, bringing together the melting water of the snow capped mountains bit by bit, making the vast desert oasis, which was originally a "forbidden zone of life," contiguous and fragrant with fruits and melons.
"We plan to transform all 550000 acres of existing grape fields in Turpan City into efficient and water-saving agricultural land within 3 years. After the project is completed, the annual water savings can reach 177 million cubic meters," said Zilawudong Jialiding, Director of Turpan Water Resources Bureau.
A 2.8 kilometer long section of the new era "Karez" has been completed in Arni Village, Gulebag Township, Zepu County, Kashgar Prefecture, more than 1300 kilometers away.
"Referring to the design concept of Karez, we have transformed the open soil channel into a water conveyance underground channel, increasing the water utilization coefficient from 0.47 to 0.95. With this alone, the annual water saving reaches 374000 cubic meters." Chen Zhong, Director of the Project Office of Zepu County Water Resources Bureau, introduced.
Walking into Daoxiang Village in Hanairike Town, Hotan County, Hotan Prefecture, on the edge of the desert, one can see vast expanses of fertile land, with plump rice ears bending the branches. Nowadays, rice has become a pillar industry in the village, and the golden silk rice produced here has a fragrant and glutinous taste.
"With the support of Beijing's aid to Xinjiang, Hotan County has invested more than 70 million yuan in the renovation of Daoxiang Village and built a drainage network specifically for rice irrigation. Now, Jinsi Rice is well-known and in short supply," said Zhao Xiaofeng, the party branch secretary of Daoxiang Village in Han'airike Town, Hotan County.
Ecological changes——
"Lush greenery" benefits people's livelihoods
The Hami River National Wetland Park in the evening is peaceful and pleasant. Here, pavilions are scattered and the sound of water is murmuring, like the Jiangnan region.
Once, the "Mother River" in Hami was once dry and dry. In recent years, Hami City has started to promote the ecological restoration project of the Hami River, accelerating the ecological restoration of the "Mother River" oasis. The greening rate along the Hami River has increased from 18% to 78%, allowing citizens to truly feel the benefits of "lush greenery" in their daily lives.
Benefiting from scientific water management measures, the Bosten Lake Wetland located in Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture has also undergone a magnificent transformation. Entering the Bosteng Lake Estuary Scenic Area, the lake water is clear and the sand gulls are abundant, making visitors feel comfortable and leisurely.
Liu Yi, Director of the Bohu County Branch of the Ecological Environment Bureau of Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, introduced that in order to protect and improve the water quality of Bosteng Lake, prevent and control water pollution, more than 20 regulations and systems have been formulated and introduced locally, forming a relatively complete basin management system and establishing a comprehensive, whole basin, and whole process water grid bureau for river and lake management.
Guarding the clear waters of a lake, benefiting thousands of people. With the continuous improvement of the ecological environment, local people have also received generous gifts from nature. At present, Bosten Lake produces more than 5000 tons of fish annually, making it the largest fishery production base in Xinjiang and the largest organic fish production base in China.
In recent years, Xinjiang has focused on river and lake management, implemented the strictest water resource management system, and made rivers clearer and cities greener through good governance and utilization.
Guangming Daily
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