New Era China Research Tour - Yellow River Chapter | Describing a New Ecological Picture of the Yellow River - Observations on Water Protection along the Yellow River

The Yellow River flows out from the ice and snow of Mount Bayankala, gathering millions of streams and rivers, and nourishing Chinese civilization through nine provinces and regions. Under the guidance of the concept of "jointly focusing on major protection and promoting major governance", the new generation of Yellow River "water management personnel" are tirelessly working to restore the ecology, improve water quality, and use water reasonably. A painting of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature is slowly unfolding along the Yellow River coast.

Water ecology: respecting nature, harmonious coexistence

In early autumn, standing in the Starry Sea of Maduo County, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, countless lakes scatter like stars into the earth.

Early in the morning, Tongde, an ecological ranger from Gadan Village in Machali Town, Maduo County, led reporters on the road to patrol the Star Sea. His family has been grazing for generations and has witnessed firsthand the changes in grassland ecology. More than 20 years ago, due to long-term overgrazing, Mado went from being a land of abundant water and grass to being devastated, and the income of herders decreased.

In recent years, Maduo County has implemented the policy of "using grass to determine livestock", scientifically and reasonably utilizing grasslands, and exploring the development path of modern ecological grassland animal husbandry. Like many herders, Tongde put down his whip and now his job is to pick up garbage, patrol lakes and grasslands, and protect wildlife.

On October 20, 2021, in Lena Village, Zhalinghu Township, Maduo County, Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, ecological rangers in the Yellow River Source Park of Sanjiangyuan National Park picked up garbage by the Zhalinghu Lake. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Long

The Yellow River flows down from Maduo on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau and meets the Fen River on the Loess Plateau.

The Wanrong section of the Fenhe River in Shanxi Province is the last pass where the Fenhe River flows into the Yellow River. "People often say that the Yellow River was only 48 poles wide, and you could hear people shouting on both sides." Pan Xinjie, former director of the office of the Wanrong Yellow River Management Bureau, said that it is said that Emperor Xuanyuan Huang once swept the ground as an altar on the banks of the Yellow River to worship the Later Earth. Nowadays, the site of the Sweeping Earth Altar is located in the Houtu Temple, which has been destroyed three times by floods and relocated twice in history.

This is a photo taken in Wanrong County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province, overlooking the Yellow River and Fen River.

The Fen River is the second largest tributary of the Yellow River and has a significant impact on the ecological security of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. Nowadays, walking in the Wanrong section of the Fenhe River, one can see holes pricked along the slopes along the bank, filled with purple locust trees.

"More than 4 million such holes have been dug on the left bank of the Fen River in Wanrong," said Xie Xiaobin, a staff member of the Wanrong County Water Resources Bureau. Purple locust trees have the function of protecting embankments from sand and wind, and are the "living steel bars" for dam and embankment protection. More than 4 million purple locust trees have taken root on the bank, building a beautiful ecological barrier for the Wanrong section of the Fen River.

The Yellow River sets in the sky and walks through the East China Sea, with thousands of miles written into my chest.

From the mouth of the Yellow River in Dongying, Shandong Province, researchers Liang Jinhui and his colleagues took samples along the Yellow River from the ecological investigation project team of key rivers and lakes in Shandong Province. Samples of Yellow River water, sediment, and algae are carefully stored in containers.

Liang Jinhui introduced that after later sample testing and analysis, sampling at 40 locations along the Yellow River will generate a "physical examination report" containing 85 indicators, providing first-hand information for dynamically recording the alternation and evolution of aquatic species in the Yellow River.

Ecological protection is a game of chess. The ecological environment in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yellow River each has its own characteristics, and each plays its role in ecological linkage and governance.

Water environment: long-term system governance is the key to success

Shapotou District, Zhongwei City, Ningxia is the first stop for the Yellow River to enter Ningxia. In Fengzhuang Village, Rouyuan Town, Shapotou District, there are rows of houses, clean and tidy streets, and a small river flowing quietly under a small bridge at the village entrance. "This river is the fourth drainage ditch. Previously, garbage and weeds were piled up along the ditch all year round, and sewage was discharged directly into the ditch, emitting a foul odor in summer," said Mai Xueping, a village cadre in Fengzhuang Village.

In recent years, Ningxia has strengthened water ecological environment protection, implemented key projects such as dredging and dredging of the Yellow River drainage ditch, and the construction of artificial wetlands.

The Yellow River, flowing through the territory of Qingtongxia City in Ningxia, nourishes the rice and various vegetation along the shore. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Kaihua

To ensure that the water quality is not polluted after the water system is connected, 5 video monitoring points, 5 automatic water quantity monitoring points, and 5 water quality monitoring points are set up in Shapotou District, and a dedicated app is developed to monitor changes in water quantity and quality in real-time online.

Water environment governance is not limited to rural non-point source pollution, but in recent years, urban pollution control has also achieved significant results.

In the evening, the Nanchuan River in Xining City, Qinghai Province shimmered under the sunset. On the urban greenway along the Nanchuan River, Jiang Xiaoyun, the river chief of Xinqing Community in Nantan Street Office, Chengzhong District, Xining City, opened the "Smart Water Conservancy Cloud" app and clicked on "River Patrol" to start the 1.83-kilometer river patrol work from Hongshui Bridge to Kunlun Bridge. "Only when you see that there is no garbage on the river and that the water conservancy facilities are operating normally, can you feel at ease," said Jiang Xiaoyun.

On June 3rd, along the Nanchuan River in Xining City, community river chief Jiang Xiaoyun was patrolling the river. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ning

The Nanchuan River, now known as the "urban living room," was once plagued by water pollution, riverbed silt, and rampant growth of aquatic plants.

The problem lies in the water, the roots are on the shore. In recent years, Xining City has improved water quality through measures such as renovating the municipal pipeline network along the river, collecting and treating sewage, improving the sediment of the river, purifying microorganisms, and configuring aquatic plants. Measures such as renovating the shoreline, repairing and beautifying facilities, and restoring wetland ecology have also enhanced the coastal ecological environment, and the beautiful scenery of harmonious coexistence of humans, birds, and fish has reappeared.

In recent years, under the major national strategic guidance of ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin, a series of "combination punches" have been launched in various regions along the Yellow River. By identifying the root cause of the disease and implementing systematic treatment, the overall water quality in the Yellow River Basin has shown a trend of improvement year by year. In 2022, the main stream of the Yellow River will reach Class II water quality for the first time.

Water resources: water-saving and comprehensive planning for water diversion

In the refreshing autumn, tens of thousands of acres of farmland are dressed in green on the Qianjin Farm in Ningxia, showcasing a unique "beauty". After the high standard transformation of farmland and the application of intelligent irrigation technology, each acre of land here can save more than half of the water. On an exclusive trading platform, the 6 million cubic meters of water saved by the farm were purchased by two water scarce enterprises to ensure production.

The Yellow River water to the Ningxia River is like soup and bread.

Ningxia, located in the northwest and arid with little rainfall, heavily relies on the Yellow River water for development. In the past, it faced the dilemma of long-term water shortage and flooding at the same time.

The utilization of water resources in Ningxia is a microcosm of the Yellow River Basin. The Yellow River accounts for 2% of the country's river runoff, supporting the water demand of 12% of the country's population and 17% of arable land. On the basis of a series of water rights and pricing reforms in recent years, Ningxia has been the first to explore water rights reforms in the nine provinces along the Yellow River since 2021.

Water use certificates for some villages in Gaozha Town, Litong District, Wuzhong City, Ningxia. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Kaihua

"The confirmation of water rights is based on the red line of total quantity and efficiency, which forces water users to recognize the upper limit of water use, gradually deepening the understanding of suitable water planting and water production." said Bao Lumin, the head of the water rights reform work team of Ningxia Water Resources Department.

Nowadays, water, as an asset, exhibits enormous value on trading platforms. Industrial enterprises and large water users purchase water rights from exclusive water markets for new projects and scale expansion.

Summer has passed, and the work of water and sediment regulation in the Yellow River Delta has come to an end. However, the story of water, sand, and people continues.

For the Yellow River Delta, water scarcity is a major problem. In the past, the replenishment of wetlands in the Yellow River Delta could only be achieved through the self flowing water diversion during the Yellow River's water and sediment regulation period.

"From June 19th to July 10th every year, there is only about 20 days," said Liu Jing, Deputy Director of the Management Committee of the Shandong Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve. "However, based on years of observation, we have found that the entire wetland does not require water the most at this stage. For example, in the spring when animals and plants grow the most vigorously, the wetland has a strong demand for water. However, during this period, the Yellow River has a small flow and cannot rely on self flow to supplement water."

This is the scenery of Shandong Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, taken on October 31, 2022. Photo by Guo Xulei, journalist from Xinhua News Agency

Last August, six Yellow River diversion gates were completed in the protected area, and water was replenished as needed according to the needs of animals and plants. The rolling Yellow River water infiltrated this vast land before flowing into the Bohai Sea.

In recent years, the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve has established a scientific ecological water replenishment system of "water diversion, transportation, storage, and discharge", while focusing on building a "river land beach sea" connectivity system, connecting 115 kilometers of water systems and dredging 76 kilometers of tidal ditches, restoring hydrological connectivity between the Yellow River and the ocean. The original bare land and saline alkali marshes have become large wetlands with abundant water and grass, and rich biodiversity.

Coming from the depths of history, the Yellow River has nurtured generations of descendants of Yan and Huang. Da He Tang Tang, willing to sacrifice day and night.