source:Peoples daily agency editor in charge:Li Peizhen

Photo by Wang Haidong

In the early morning of autumn, in the mist, the moat is like a green jade belt surrounding the walls of Xi'an.

At present, the comprehensive treatment project of 13 important rivers in Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province has been opened, and the 547 km dike reinforcement project has been started in an all-round way. "The whole area of Xi'an controls the water, which makes the sewage clean, keeps the river clean, and draws the living water." Xi'an Water Bureau Director Lu Qiang said.

In recent years, Xi'an municipal Party committee and municipal government have successively carried out four large-scale transformation of the moat, including the East Gate Jianguo gate, Jianguo gate ZhuQueMen gate, and ZhuQueMen Ximen. The latest one is the comprehensive reconstruction project of Ximen Beimen Dongmen section, which will be implemented in 2019. Through the reconstruction of sewage intercepting box culvert, the river channel protection is carried out, and the rainwater sewage and landscape water are separated to the greatest extent, and the water quality reaches the surface level of class III. Since August 1 this year, water has been injected into the moat, with 60000 cubic meters injected slowly every day.

The new waterscape is not only clearer and more economical, but also moving. Through the measures of sewage interception, source control, flow and restoration, flood detention can be achieved, and landscape water and sewage can be separated. The comprehensive way of water recession, reserved storage capacity and empty storage capacity was adopted to manage rainwater. The storage capacity was increased to 1.44 million cubic meters, and the urban waterlogging control ability was greatly improved.

Weihe River, the mother river of Xi'an, is the largest tributary of the Yellow River. Once upon a time, the Weihe River had three major problems: flood disaster, water quality pollution and sediment deposition.

Feng Chuanmin, deputy director of Xi'an water ecological construction management center, told reporters that in addition to the construction of flood control levee with high standard, the construction of green landscape park, ecological beach area of Bawei River and river pollution control project are also constructed. Through ecological water-saving, clean production, pollution control and ecological restoration, the river water is clear and smooth, and the landscape river course of "health and safety, green water and ecological environment protection" is realized.

According to the monthly report of water environment quality of Shaanxi Provincial Ecological Environment Department, from January to July this year, Xinfeng Town Bridge Station of Weihe River and Sanlang Village Station of Bahe River reached class III water quality, and Chanba River intersection station reached class II water quality. Among them, the water quality of Xi'an section of the main stream of Weihe River is better than that of the same period of last year. Many citizens have chosen to drive along the Weihe River on weekends.

"The original vegetation in the beach area of Weihe River has been restored, attracting a large number of wild animals to inhabit, and the ecological balance has been further achieved." Standing on the top of the embankment of Xi'an city section of Weihe River, Hou Jinxin, director of Xi'an Weihe ecological management center, said.

Fenghe River, one of the eight rivers in Chang'an, flows out of fengyukou from the northern foot of Qinling Mountains, winding all the way, and finally flows into Weihe River. Once upon a time, sand digging machines were all over the river channels on both sides of the Fenghe River, and the riverbed was hollowed out. The deepest sand pit was nearly 40 meters deep. The riverbank became a dumping ground for urban garbage. Within the range of 6.8km along the Fenghe River, more than 20 sewage outlets discharge domestic sewage to Fenghe river all the year round.

In just a few years, after effective management, the former sandpit has become a waterfront ecological scenic spot integrating ecological restoration, tourism and vacation, popular science education and other functions. "The river has become clear, and landscape corridors have been built on both sides. Now it is a good place for everyone to have leisure and entertainment." Wang Yongmin, a resident of Doumen street in Xixian New District, said happily.