The Huai River, a water system spanning central China, has nourished the fertile soil on both sides for thousands of years, and has repeatedly tested the wisdom and resilience of the nation through floods. In the new era, a series of water conservancy projects with huge investments and profound designs are being fully deployed along the main and tributary rivers of the Huai River. They are not only physical barriers constructed with reinforced concrete, but also strategic cornerstones for reshaping the ecological security of the basin and ensuring high-quality regional development. From systematic adjustment of flood discharge areas to cross basin water resource allocation, the management of the Huai River is entering a new historical stage supported by a modern engineering system to ensure the safety and revitalization of the basin.

Breaking the question, 'The tail end is not smooth'

The middle reaches of the Huai River have long been a "Damocles sword" hanging over the flood control system of the basin due to the "lack of smoothness at the tail end". At the end of 2025, with a total investment of over 10 billion yuan, the adjustment and construction project of the flood discharge area from Xiashankou to Wohekou will officially start, and the countdown to solving this core problem will begin. This project complements the earlier construction of the section below Fushan, and aims to systematically expand the main flood channel of the Huai River through comprehensive measures such as dredging key river sections, reinforcing embankments, and scientifically building flood control facilities. This marks the accelerated implementation of the key layout in the "Comprehensive Plan for the Huaihe River Basin", and 38 further projects to control the Huaihe River have been fully launched, with a cumulative investment of over 100 billion yuan. After the completion of the project in a few years, the flood control capacity of the middle reaches of the Huai River will achieve a qualitative leap, building a more reliable safety barrier for the flood plagued areas of northern Anhui and northern Jiangsu.

Building the 'Water Network Arteries'

In addition to flood control and disaster reduction, solving the uneven spatial and temporal distribution of water resources and ensuring water supply safety are another essential aspect of Huai River management. Among the 14 major water conservancy projects for water-saving and water supply in the basin, 13 have already started construction. The project of diverting water from the Yangtze River to the Huai River and its second phase, which can be regarded as a century project, is outlining a grand water network that connects the Yangtze River and the Huai River. When fully constructed, it will not only reshape the regional water resource pattern and provide reliable water sources for the arid and water scarce areas along the Anhui Henan route, but also activate inland waterway transportation and improve the ecological environment through water supply trunk lines such as the Shaying River and the Wohe River. At the same time, the promotion of the second phase of the Huai River estuary project will greatly enhance the ability of Huai River floods to be discharged eastward into the sea. This series of projects collectively aims to build a modern water network system in the Huai River Basin that is reliable in flood control, flexible in allocation, and efficient in utilization.

Towards a 'historical leap'

Looking ahead to the 15th Five Year Plan, the grand blueprint for the governance of the Huai River is becoming increasingly clear. The comprehensive completion of landmark projects such as the second phase of the Yangtze River to Huaihe River diversion and the second phase of the estuary waterway around 2028 will be a key milestone, and the flood control standards and water resource allocation capacity of the Huaihe River Basin will usher in a historic leap. This not only means a fundamental shift from traditional water disasters to water conservancy, but also provides solid water security guarantees for national regional strategies such as the revitalization of northern Anhui and the construction of the Huaihe River Ecological Economic Belt. A more peaceful and optimized allocation of water resources in the Huai River Basin will undoubtedly promote the high-quality development of regional economy and society, give new vitality to the ancient Huai River, and truly become a happy river that benefits the people. Keywords: infrastructure, engineering construction

An Lan in the Huai River is a major national event. The major water conservancy projects currently being comprehensively promoted carry the wisdom and dreams of governing the Huai River for thousands of years, and also embody the determination and strength to promote the construction of the national water network in the new era. As these national treasures turn from blueprints into reality, a new picture of a safe, green, and prosperous Huai River is slowly unfolding on the land of Jianghuai.Editor/Cheng Liting