Hunan strives for new models to develop its rich water resources

Province's natural wealth key to Yangtze River Economic Belt

Central China's Hunan province is exploring a new mode of development, with a focus on improving its ecology and water navigation conditions.

Hunan, which literally means "south of the lake" as it is located in the south of its namesake Dongting Lake, is an important part of the Yangtze River Economic Belt - a regional development strategy approved by the central government in 2014.

Dongting is one of the largest lakes in the Yangtze River basin, and throughout its history it has played a crucial role in the entire ecological system of the river.

Almost all the surface runoffs in Hunan and some coming from beyond run into the Dongting Lake through the waterways of the province's four largest rivers - Xiangjiang, Zishui, Yuanjiang and Lishui. The water in Dongting eventually runs into the Yangtze in the north of the province.

The sufficient and stable water supply from Hunan has played an important role in making the Yangtze one of the best waterway systems in the world, not only for navigation but also for the water supply for living as well as agricultural and industrial uses.

Dongting has also played a crucial role in regulating the water volumes of the Yangtze. In rainy seasons, it absorbs a large amount of flood water from the upper reaches of the Yangtze, preventing the region from suffering huge disasters.

In an era of industrialization, where water pollution is a major concern, the authorities of Hunan realized that the protection of the water ecology is of great significance for the entire Yangtze River basin.

Du Jiahao, Party chief of Hunan province, said the protection and improvement of the water ecology of Hunan's"one lake and four rivers" is a long-term program.

"We cannot expect immediate success in our campaign for water ecology improvement," Du said. "We should ensure progress step by step."

In August 2013, Hunan began to implement a three-year action plan for protecting and improving the ecology of Xiangjiang, the largest river by water volume in Hunan.

Ecological improvement of the river is a pressing task because it passes Hunan's major industrial cities and nonferrous mining sites.

In the years between 2013 and 2016, the region has seen a steady decrease in five major pollutants. In 2016 the water quality of its mainstream reached an excellent level according to national standards.

The Xiangjiang action plan is only part of the province's longterm efforts that are also eyeing the province's other three rivers and Dongting Lake, covered by a second three-year action plan which began in 2016.

Dongting has been called the"kidney of the Yangtze" because of its role in regulating the ecology of the third-largest river of the world, by both length and volume.

In recent decades, the problems that Dongting had to face included a shrinking water area due to reclaimed wetland for farming as well as a worsening ecology due to over-growth in husbandry, aquaculture and sand mining.

Returning farmlands to the lake began in the late 1990s after the Yangtze basin was hit by a serious flood in 1998.

Since 2016, Hunan has begun a new round of campaigns for improving the ecology of Dongting by shutting down animal and aquaculture farms, polluting enterprises and sand mines.

Along with ecological improvements, Hunan has also carried out projects to dredge navigation channels for Dongting Lake and major rivers.

The Dongting and the four major rivers in Hunan have long been major parts of the Yangtze water transport system, with the Xiangjiang River dubbed the "Rhine of China" because of its excellent conditions for navigation.

As a result, the upgrading of the waterways and river ports has offered great facilitation for Hunan's domestic and foreign trade business.

Yueyang in the north of Hunan and Changsha, the provincial capital in the center of Hunan, are the two major port cities in the province.

Yueyang's Chenglingji, by the Yangtze, is the largest port in Hunan province.

To capitalize on the improvements in the waterways, Chenglingji Port Corp forged an alliance with Shanghai Port Group.

The pair agreed to share resources, with Chenglingji Port utilizing the marketing channels and management expertise of Shanghai Port and Shanghai Port gaining access to the hinterland of Hunan.

Changsha New Port Corp, the operator of the port business in the provincial capital, has joined the alliance by swapping equity with Chenglingji Port in recent years.

"We are planning to build an inter-regional port company in Changsha and Yueyang, which will further integrate Hunan into the Yangtze River Economic Belt," said Tang Zhongliang, chairman of Changsha New Port Corp.

Hunan also has plans to integrate its river ports with the highway, railway and airport networks to build a comprehensive transport system.

zhaoshijun@chinadaily.com.cn