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South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

Tech 2024-08-25 22:41:51 Source: Network
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South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and DrawbacksEvery March, during the Chinese lunar calendar, a remarkable biological migration occurs in the Beijing Plain, encompassing areas like Shijiazhuang, Baoding, and Beijing. In recent years, these migratory creatures have begun appearing with increasing frequency on the Yangtze River

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

Every March, during the Chinese lunar calendar, a remarkable biological migration occurs in the Beijing Plain, encompassing areas like Shijiazhuang, Baoding, and Beijing. In recent years, these migratory creatures have begun appearing with increasing frequency on the Yangtze River. Researchers have discovered a considerable number of parasites from southern species on the surface of the "San Yuan" carp, leading to a worrisome question: Could the South-to-North Water Diversion project be responsible for cross-basin species transplantation?

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

The South-to-North Water Diversion project is China's largest water transfer project, designed to alleviate the long-standing water shortage in the country's central and eastern regions. Back in 1969, Beijing faced a devastating drought, lasting for an extended period and plunging millions into a water crisis. To address this urgent situation, the Beijing government implemented strict water conservation measures. However, these measures could only provide temporary relief, failing to address the fundamental issue of chronic water scarcity in the central and eastern areas.

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

This spurred the concept of diverting water from the Yangtze River, marking the genesis of the South-to-North Water Diversion project. This project, often hailed as a gigantic "South-to-North Water Transfer," is only surpassed by the Three Gorges Dam in terms of scale. In 1975, Li Xiannian's statement "The Central Plains must succeed" ignited the spirit and determination of the people in the central and eastern regions, solidifying the project's scope for the central government. By 1988, the Ministry of Agriculture initiated the official survey of the South-to-North Water Diversion project, adjusting the construction plan and shaping it into four major components: the Western Route, the Central Route, the Eastern Route, and the Four Connections and One Reach. The Western, Central, and Eastern Routes constitute the controlling projects, while the Four Connections and One Reach project serves as a control mechanism for upgrading the three primary routes.

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

The core construction plan involves the phased and controlled transfer of water from the main channel of the Yangtze River. This strategy aims to avoid excessive depletion of the Yangtze River's water resources while maximizing its significance by transporting water from the Yangtze River's main channel to the country's vast river basins and tributaries.

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

However, the implementation of the South-to-North Water Diversion project has inadvertently brought forth new challenges. Every March, the biological migration has become a significant hurdle for the project, and the recent surge in the appearance of various species on the Yangtze River has sparked widespread concern. The discovery of numerous southern parasites on the surface of the "San Yuan" carp fuels suspicions that the South-to-North Water Diversion project might be inadvertently facilitating cross-basin species transplantation.

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

Analyzing the timeline reveals that the South-to-North Water Diversion project commenced in 1969, while the biological migration issue has only become prominent in recent years, indicating no direct correlation between the two. So, what is the real culprit behind the stealthy intrusion of the Chinese alligator into the Yangtze River?

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

The root cause lies with the "Bi Lu," a fish species native to the Yangtze River basin. Due to excessive fishing, its population dwindled significantly. To protect this species, people relocated "Bi Lu" to Lake Tai for artificial breeding and employed crossbreeding techniques to enhance production, ultimately creating the "San Yuan" we see today. However, the "San Yuan" cannot be artificially bred like "Bi Lu," leading to their release into the Yangtze River and its tributaries.

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

Unbeknownst to many, these fish are products of artificial crossbreeding, boasting accelerated growth rates and robust reproductive capabilities. In 1990, the "San Yuan" population exploded, forcing them to migrate. Coincidentally, the "San Yuan" migration coincided with the South-to-North Water Diversion project. Their rapid growth allowed them to quickly catch up with the project, becoming the first "invaders" in the South-to-North Water Diversion endeavor.

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

This is not the first instance of biological invasions associated with the South-to-North Water Diversion project. Back in 1969, China released over 20 Chinese alligators into the Yiluo Reservoir. The Yiluo Reservoir was repurposed from the Boa Reservoir, marking one of the earliest reservoirs in China to employ fish-killing techniques. Among the 30-plus catfish released, a surprising 21 Chinese alligators were found to have been inadvertently included.

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

Both these incidents expose the recklessness of human actions when it comes to releasing animals. The lack of scientific rigor and ecological knowledge has resulted in cross-regional species transplantation.

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

To prevent a recurrence of such incidents, scientific prevention and control are paramount. We must implement strict regulations for animal releases, scrutinizing all creatures before release to ensure they are native species that meet the conditions for release. Simultaneously, we must actively strengthen artificial breeding programs to cultivate endangered species, minimizing human-induced harm to the natural environment.

South-to-North Water Diversion: Balancing Benefits and Drawbacks

The South-to-North Water Diversion project is a crucial water infrastructure project in China, relieving water shortages in the central and eastern regions and improving living conditions. However, we cannot overlook its impact on the Yangtze River and its tributaries, nor can we disregard the need for scientific control of biological activity within the project. Only through these measures can we effectively safeguard the delicate balance of nature and achieve harmonious coexistence between humans and the natural world.


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