The rivers are the proof - the solid pace of high-quality development of water conservancy in the new era
As the sunlight of the New Year shines on the interconnected waters of the vast land of the Nine Provinces, with clear rivers and beautiful lakes, irrigation channels traversing fertile fields, and rivers calm, national security, and people's well-being, it reflects the water conservancy achievements of high-quality development in 2024.
2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China and the 10th anniversary of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech on ensuring national water security.
This year, the publication of "Excerpts from Xi Jinping's Discourses on Water Management" provides guidance for advancing water conservancy work and offers fundamental principles to follow.
This year, the water conservancy department accurately grasps and fully implements General Secretary Xi Jinping's water management philosophy of "prioritizing water conservation, balancing spatial distribution, systematic governance, and dual efforts," overcoming difficulties and taking practical actions to achieve new results in high-quality water conservancy development.
This year, we together resisted the ravages of floods and saline tides, touched the revival of our mother river's life, sounded the horn for major water conservancy projects to commence, listened to the ringing of the water conservancy bell at the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, cherished the clear water flowing from the south to the north, and walked alongside the Three Gorges Dam through thirty years of national rejuvenation and development...
Annual flood and drought prevention: fulfilling our duties and safeguarding peace.
The Minister of Water Resources, Jiang Wei, conducted hydrological emergency monitoring at the site of the Tuanzhou embankment breach
After entering the flood season, daily consultations and assessments are conducted, and defense work is arranged and deployed. During the main flood season, a "weekly consultation+flood consultation" mechanism is implemented for ministers to conduct early assessments and deployments, calmly respond and actively defend, and firmly grasp the initiative of disaster prevention and reduction.
The construction of key flood control projects in the Huaihe River Channel Phase II, the Taihu Lake Lake Wusong River regulation, Haihe River Basin National Flood Storage and Detention Area and other river basins was accelerated. The reinforcement of dangerous reservoirs and the management of small and medium-sized rivers were carried out in an orderly manner, and the post disaster recovery of water conservancy was in full swing.
The Guanting Gorge section of Yongding River has built a world-class rainwater monitoring and forecasting system, achieving full coverage of cloud rain, ground rain, and water in the river from sky to ground.
The Ministry of Water Resources has successively issued the "Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Construction of a Water and Drought Disaster Prevention Work System" and the "Major Water and Drought Disaster Event Dispatch and Command Mechanism", strengthening the measures of flood control "forecasting, early warning, rehearsal, and contingency plan", enhancing the unified joint dispatch of river basin water projects, and gradually improving the water and drought disaster prevention work system of responsibility implementation, decision support, and dispatch command.
The "three major systems" of watershed flood control engineering system, rainwater monitoring and forecasting system, and water and drought disaster prevention work system have been accelerated and improved, winning the initiative for water and drought disaster prevention.
Late at night on August 6, 2024, "The mountain torrent is coming, please move at once." Rural cadres in Luohantong Township, Jingchuan County, Gansu Province carried out "knock on the door" one by one, organizing the masses to move to avoid risks. At 1:20 am on the 7th, flash floods broke out, with the maximum flood mark reaching a height of 1.6 meters. Due to timely warning and rapid transfer, 187 people achieved "zero casualties". This is a microcosm of water conservancy departments at all levels maximizing the protection of people's lives and property safety and minimizing disaster losses.
6929 large and medium-sized reservoirs across the country have been put into flood control operation during the flood season, with a cumulative retention of 147.1 billion cubic meters of floods, reducing the flooding of 2330 urban areas, 16.87 million mu of arable land, and avoiding the transfer of 11.15 million people. Effectively resisting 26 numbered floods of major rivers, 1321 rivers exceeding the warning level, and 67 rivers experiencing the largest floods since measured data, achieving no dam collapse in all types of reservoirs and no breach in important embankments of major rivers nationwide.
In the same year, the water conservancy department effectively responded to severe drought conditions in Southwest, North China, Huang Huai, Northwest and other areas. The water supply for urban and rural areas in arid areas was effectively guaranteed, ensuring the seasonal irrigation water demand for crops in irrigation areas. Efforts were made to prevent floods and waterlogging in farmland, resist disasters and ensure a bountiful harvest.
It is precisely with the persistent belief of "putting people first and life first" that after enduring countless sleepless nights, water conservancy personnel have once again overcome the tough battle of defending against floods and droughts.
Water conservancy construction investment: innovative high, weaving water network
On July 9, 2024, the Yellow River Guxian Water Conservancy Hub started construction
The outside of the diversion tunnel construction support tunnel of the Yellow River Guxian Water Conservancy Hub Project is freezing cold, but the inside of the tunnel is busy and bustling. At present, there are more than 200 builders and 63 sets of equipment working day and night on site. The construction support tunnel is advancing at a speed of 3-6 meters per day to ensure that the main tunnel construction will begin in March this year, "said the person in charge of the Engineering Department of Huanghe Guxian Water Conservancy Hub Co., Ltd.
In 2024, 41 major water network projects represented by the Yellow River Guxian Water Conservancy Hub Project will commence, the Pearl River Delta Water Resources Allocation Project will be fully connected, and the implementation of projects such as the South to North Water Diversion Middle Route Diversion Project to supplement the Han River and the water resources allocation around the Beibu Gulf will be accelerated... The acceleration of national water network construction has contributed water resources to high-quality economic and social development.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the comprehensive water supply of the first phase of the East Middle Route of the South to North Water Diversion Project. Over the past 10 years, the project has cumulatively diverted 77.16 billion cubic meters of water, and the groundwater level in the areas along the route has gradually risen. The comprehensive benefits of the project have been fully released, making it a century old project and a popular project that benefits millions of people.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the construction of the Three Gorges Project. In the blink of an eye of thirty years, the Three Gorges Project has fully realized its enormous comprehensive benefits. At the same time, the Ministry of Water Resources, together with relevant departments and provinces (regions, cities), continues to promote the follow-up work of the Three Gorges Dam. The Three Gorges immigrants have achieved significant results in stabilizing and enriching themselves, and the economic and social development has accelerated comprehensively. A number of characteristic agricultural brands such as Zigui navel oranges have been cultivated and formed, 21 ecological industrial parks have been built, and the average annual GDP growth rate of the reservoir area has reached 15.9%.
In 2024, the investment in water conservancy construction reached a historic high, with approximately 47000 water conservancy projects implemented, an investment of 1.35 trillion yuan completed, and 3.147 million people employed, effectively playing an important role in stabilizing growth and promoting employment.
Step by step, the construction of the national water network is getting closer and closer to the goal of "complete system, safe and reliable, intensive and efficient, green and intelligent, smooth circulation, and orderly regulation", and its support and service role for high-quality economic and social development is becoming increasingly evident.
Comprehensive rural revitalization: strengthening the foundation and benefiting people's livelihoods
Dujiangyan Irrigation Project Irrigation District Promotes the Construction of Ecological Agriculture
Rural drinking water safety concerns millions of households and is also a crucial part of building a "bottom line for people's livelihoods".
By 2024, 23000 rural water supply projects will be completed nationwide, improving the water supply guarantee level for 110 million rural population, and the rural tap water penetration rate will reach 94%. Supported the construction of small-scale water diversion projects in 60 counties, and allocated special funds to equip rural centralized water supply projects with purification and disinfection facilities and equipment.
The lifeline of grain production lies in water conservancy. Chinese people's jobs should be firmly in their own hands.
In 2024, the Ministry of Water Resources will build a number of large and medium-sized irrigation areas, including Xiajiang in Jiangxi, Meishan in Hunan, and Qianping in Henan, around the implementation of a new round of action to increase grain production capacity by billions of kilograms; We will implement the construction and modernization of over 1300 irrigation areas, with an additional 70 million mu of restored and improved irrigation area, reaching a historic high in both intensity and scale; The issuance of the "National Plan for Irrigation Development of Farmland" has scientifically laid out the addition of new irrigation water sources and the development of new irrigation areas, effectively improving the irrigation guarantee capacity and water-saving irrigation level.
Accelerate the construction of a modern rural flood control and disaster reduction system. In 2024, 191 medium-sized reservoirs and 3651 small reservoirs were completed nationwide for risk elimination and reinforcement. 143 main tributaries and 1256 small and medium-sized river systems were treated, and non engineering measures for mountain flood prevention and control were constructed and operated in 2076 mountain flood prevention counties. 1891 key mountain flood control measures were promoted, and the flood prevention capacity in rural areas continued to improve.
Ensuring the safety of rural water supply and national food security simultaneously, the clear waters and long canals make the picture of rural revitalization more dynamic.
Water conservation and protection: the return of life in rivers and lakes
Yongding River is full of vitality
Revitalizing the ecological environment of rivers and lakes is a vivid portrayal of implementing the national "river strategy" and a significant practice of actively building river ethics and achieving harmonious coexistence between humans and water.
In winter, in Puji Town, Liuyang City, Hunan Province, the Liuyang River water is clear and sparkling. In September of that year, the Ministry of Water Resources announced the list of excellent cases of Happy River and Lake in 2024, and Liuyang River was successfully selected. The new song of Happy River in "Liuyang River" is now being sung.
In 2024, the Ministry of Water Resources will accelerate the Mother River Recovery Action, issue the "Implementation Plan for Accelerating the Mother River Recovery Action (2024)", conduct a review of the target measures of the recovery action plan, develop an annual work plan, and implement ledger management.
A series of measures have been taken to optimize water resource allocation, strengthen water conservation, enhance ecological water replenishment, and dredge river channels for 88 mother rivers (lakes), achieving good results in river and lake management and recovery.
At present, 74 out of 79 rivers have been fully connected, 5 have increased the length and duration of rivers with water, and the water level (volume) of 9 lakes has been effectively guaranteed, fundamentally improving the appearance of rivers and lakes.
The ecological beauty of rivers and lakes is restored, and happy rivers and lakes nourish the hearts of the people. More and more rivers and lakes, like the Liuyang River, have regained their life and vitality: the Yellow River has been continuously flowing for 25 years, the Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal has been fully connected for 3 consecutive years, the Yongding River has been fully connected for 4 consecutive years, and there has been water throughout the year for 2 consecutive years. The main stream of the West Liaohe River has reached the urban area of Tongliao for the first time in 26 years, and ancient springs such as Jinci in Shanxi and Wenquan River in Fuping, Shaanxi have been restored.
This year, the water conservancy system continued to strengthen the management and protection of rivers and lakes, cleaning up and rectifying 42000 "four chaos" problems such as illegal occupation, mining, stacking, and construction of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Completed 9448 health evaluations of rivers and lakes, and built 680 happy rivers and lakes. The area of soil erosion control is 19500 square kilometers, with an additional 64000 square kilometers of soil erosion control area added throughout the year.
Fully protecting water requires comprehensive water conservation. In 2024, the Ministry of Water Resources will continue to strengthen water resource management, implement the rigid constraint system for water resources and the "Regulations on Water Conservation", strengthen the dual control of total water consumption and intensity, and complete the allocation of water resources for 94 cross provincial and 375 cross city rivers. Comprehensively carry out actions to consolidate and improve water management, accelerate the development of water-saving industries, and strengthen water quota management in key industries.
We will adhere to the principle of using water to determine cities, land, people, and production. We will improve the economic and social system of measuring water usage, the mechanism for efficient and intensive use of water resources, the mechanism for controlling water resource overload, and the system for supervision and management. We will achieve deep level changes in the way water resources are utilized, and steadily promote the comprehensive green transformation of the economy and society.
The beautiful scenery of "harmony between people and water" with thousands of streams flowing like threads, beautiful water throughout the four seasons, clear water, and green banks is gradually unfolding on the land of our motherland.
Digital Twin Water Conservancy: Refactoring Tomorrow's Water Management
The "Water Conservancy No.1" remote sensing satellite was successfully launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
The Ministry of Water Resources is firmly committed to promoting the construction of digital twin water conservancy, accelerating the development of new quality water conservancy productivity, issuing the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting Digital Twins in Water Conservancy Engineering Construction", holding on-site meetings for digital twin water conservancy construction and digital twin water diversion engineering construction... With continuous policy deployment, digital twin water conservancy construction has achieved phased results:
The "Water Conservancy No.1" satellite has been launched, sending back the first clear remote sensing image. The goal of integrating monitoring and perception of "sky, earth, and water engineering" has moved from a dream to reality.
The first phase of the digital twin South to North Water Diversion Middle Route has been basically completed, effectively ensuring the safety of water supply, water quality, and engineering in the South to North Water Diversion project. Ten provincial-level pilot zones and a batch of city and county-level digital twin water networks have been built and put into use.
A number of digital twin projects have been built, including the Three Gorges, Danjiangkou, Xiaolangdi, and Datungxia, which have improved the level of safe operation and management of the projects. 49 digital twin irrigation areas have been preliminarily built, and 709 county-level rural water supply digital management platforms have been established.
Entering the Xiaolangdi Digital Twin Control Center, three large screens come into view, and a digital twin Xiaolangdi that interacts with the physical engineering virtual and real is clearly presented on the screen.
During the main flood season of 2024, in the process of defending against three numbered floods in the Yangtze River, the Yangtze River Commission fully utilized the digital twin Three Gorges flood control precision scheduling achievements, rehearsed the risk of flooding in the reservoir area and the effect of flood interception and peak shaving, and assisted in the scientific, accurate and safe scheduling of the basin reservoir group system.
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In accordance with the requirements of "demand driven, application oriented, digital empowerment, and capacity enhancement", the water conservancy front continues to promote the construction of a digital twin water conservancy system, which also allows people to truly feel the new driving force of high-quality development of water conservancy.
Water conservancy reform: taking innovative and vigorous steps forward
Yinhua Shaoxing Raw Water Conservancy REITs successfully listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange
On the morning of November 8, 2024, the bell rang for listing on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Yinhua Shaoxing Raw Water Conservancy REITs successfully went public, marking the first official landing of REITs for water infrastructure in China and a new step in water investment and financing reform.
The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China stressed that we must consciously put reform in a more prominent position, and closely focus on promoting Chinese path to modernization to further comprehensively deepen reform. The Party group of the Ministry of Water Resources timely conveys, studies, and implements the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and implements the task of further deepening the comprehensive reform of water conservancy in a detailed and meticulous manner.
The issuance of additional treasury bond, ultra long term special treasury bond, special bonds of local governments, and financial credit increased water conservancy investment. The new mechanism of cooperation between the government and social capital, and carbon exchange transactions for water and soil conservation were promoted. The first water conservancy infrastructure investment trust fund was successfully listed, and the reform of water conservancy investment and financing continued to deepen.
In 2024, carbon sequestration trading for soil and water conservation will flourish in multiple locations, with a trading volume of 775000 tons and a trading amount of 30.78 million yuan. Yan'an in Shaanxi, Shangyou in Jiangxi, Pengyang in Ningxia, Lingchuan in Guangxi, Qujing in Yunnan and other places will bravely take the lead in reform. We are optimistic about this opportunity and also very optimistic about the prospects of water conservation carbon sequestration, "said Cao Shaobo, the general manager of Shaanxi Yangling Greentown Ecological Technology Consulting Co., Ltd., who participated in the Yan'an Soil and Water Conservation Carbon Sequestration Trading in Shaanxi.
The market-oriented trading of water rights is becoming increasingly active, with Chongqing and Sichuan in the Yangtze River Basin, Jilin and Heilongjiang in the Songhua River Basin achieving the "first" cross provincial water rights trading within the basin, and Hebei and Tianjin achieving the "first" cross provincial water rights trading for the South to North Water Diversion Middle Route Project. The China Water Rights Exchange traded 11000 transactions throughout the year, with a trading volume of 1.37 billion cubic meters.
The first administrative regulation on water conservation in China, the "Regulations on Water Conservation", will come into effect on May 1, 2024. The Regulation achieves efficient and efficient utilization of water resources through the rule of law and legal means, providing strong legal guarantees for promoting water conservation throughout society, ensuring national water security, advancing ecological civilization construction, and promoting high-quality development.
Anchor key areas and critical links, improve institutional mechanisms and legal systems, and achieve overall improvement in water management capabilities and levels.
This year, important international conferences such as the 10th World Water Forum and the 3rd Asian International Water Week were held successively. All parties highly appreciate the historic achievements and changes in China's water conservancy under the guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping's water management strategy. The Chinese solution, full of Chinese wisdom, has attracted widespread attention from domestic and foreign media as well as various sectors of society. China's water conservancy is contributing its water resources to world peace and development in an unprecedented manner.
In 2024, water conservancy professionals have weathered the wind and rain, persevering and striving to live up to the people's expectations. The new year accumulates new strength, anchors new goals, and nurtures new hope. Water conservancy personnel will also fulfill their duties with a sense of responsibility of "never being at ease at all times", take on responsibilities, and support the comprehensive promotion of the construction of a strong country and the rejuvenation of the nation with the goal of promoting high-quality development of water conservancy and ensuring water security in China.
Original title: "Rivers as Evidence - Solid Steps for High Quality Development of Water Conservancy in the New Era"