The morning sun shone on the banks of the Yellow River, and the river patrol officer Lao Zhang walked slowly along the embankment. In his notebook, he densely recorded the water quality change data of the past three years. In the past, during the rainy season, we would carry sediment and debris downstream. Now, you see, the water is so clear that you can see the aquatic plants below. "Old Zhang pointed to the slowly flowing river in front of him, his tone full of satisfaction. Just yesterday, 36 ecological protection projects in a certain area of the Yellow River Basin were officially announced as completed. This means that a complete ecological protection network has been woven from upstream water conservation to downstream wetland restoration, from pollution source control to ecological corridor construction. A clear stream of water is rushing into the Yellow River with vitality and vigor.

36 projects to weave dense ecological protection nets

The 36 ecological protection projects completed this time cover multiple fields such as water source protection, river regulation, wetland restoration, and industrial pollution control, covering 12 counties and districts within the Yellow River Basin. They are a key lever for the local implementation of the Yellow River Basin ecological protection and high-quality development strategy. In the water conservation area, the construction team has completed a 100000 acre project of returning farmland to forests and grasslands. The drought resistant vegetation planted, such as seabuckthorn and lemon, firmly locks in the soil and water, reducing the sediment content of upstream water by 40%; At the site of river regulation, dredging ships and ecological slope protection projects are being carried out simultaneously. Not only have the accumulated silt and garbage in the river been cleaned up for many years, but flexible slope protection technologies such as ecological stone cages and aquatic plant belts have also been used to build a "smooth river, clear water, and green banks" river ecosystem.

In response to industrial and agricultural non-point source pollution, the engineering team has implemented the "one enterprise, one policy" governance plan, carried out technological transformation of 23 key polluting enterprises in the basin, and built 6 new sewage treatment plants with a daily processing capacity of 150000 tons. The treated wastewater quality meets the Class III standard for surface water; At the same time, promoting ecological planting models in coastal farmland, constructing ecological ditches and artificial wetlands, intercepting and purifying farmland wastewater, and reducing the pollution of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on water bodies from the source.

Let clear water sustainably nourish the banks of the Yellow River

The completion of the project is not the end point, but the starting point of long-term management and protection. A local ecological management and protection mechanism with "government leadership, enterprise participation, and public supervision" has been established simultaneously, and a professional river patrol team has been formed, equipped with intelligent devices such as drones and water quality monitors, to achieve real-time monitoring and dynamic early warning of water quality in the basin. In addition, ecological compensation policies have been introduced to encourage coastal residents to participate in wetland management, vegetation maintenance, and other work, making the protection of the Yellow River a conscious action of the whole nation.

Before, it was' I want to protect the river ', now it's' I want to protect the river', "said Lao Wang, a villager along the coast, with a smile. He is now the ecological manager of the village, responsible for guarding the artificial wetland at the entrance of the village. Not only does he have a stable income every month, but he also feels particularly at ease watching the water at his doorstep become clearer and clearer.

Nowadays, standing on the banks of the Yellow River and looking into the distance, the clear river water and the green trees on both sides complement each other. Waterbirds occasionally skim over the water surface, and a picture of "clear water moistening the Yellow River, ecological benefits for people's livelihood" is slowly unfolding. These 36 ecological projects have not only strengthened the ecological defense line of the Yellow River Basin, but also rooted the concept of green development in this land, injecting lasting power into the safety of the Yellow River.Editor/Bian Wenjun