my country adds 4 more world irrigation engineering heritage sites! Let's take a look at the ancients' wisdom in using water!

On November 4, the 2023 (10th batch) World Heritage List of Irrigation Projects was announced. Anhui Qimenyan Irrigation Storage System, Jiangsu Hongze Ancient Irrigation Area, Shanxi Huoquan Irrigation Project, and Hubei Chongyang County Baini Ancient Weir were successfully selected into the 2023 (10th batch) World Heritage List of Irrigation Projects. So far, my country has 34 world heritage irrigation projects.

Image source: Xinhua News Agency

1. Qimenyan, Anhui

The Hangbu River in Shucheng County, Anhui Province was formerly known as Longshu River, Nanxi River, and Bayang River. The Qimen Weir is located in the middle section of the Hangbu River. It was an irrigation and water diversion project presided over by Liu Xin, Marquis of Gengjie (nephew of Emperor Gaozu of Han Dynasty) in the Western Han Dynasty. It has a history of more than 2,200 years.

At that time, Liu Xin built a weir under Qimen Mountain and built two weirs, Wuyang and Piancao and Pianze, to the east of Qimen Mountain. Together, they were called "Seven Gates and Three Weirs". This "Seven Gates and Three Weirs" was very important. According to historical records, the irrigated farmland reached "more than 2,000 hectares" (more than 130 square kilometers).

Shucheng County, Anhui Province, is located at the eastern foot of Dabie Mountain and the shore of Chaohu Lake. Its topography is complex, with frequent mountain torrents, drought and waterlogging. Qimen Weir has a powerful regulation mechanism of "connecting ponds" and a scientific irrigation method of "rotational irrigation", which played a huge role in irrigation, flood control and drought prevention in the ancient Shucheng area.

The heritage area where Qimen Weir is located today has planned multiple venues, such as the Water Conservancy Museum. In addition, the heritage area where Qimen Weir is located is also the core area of ​​the Wanfo Lake National Water Conservancy Scenic Area.

2. Jiangsu Hongze Ancient Irrigation Area

Hongze Ancient Irrigation District is located in Hongze District, Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province. Its four boundaries are: Baima Lake, Hongze Dam, Huaihe River into the Yangtze River, and Subei Irrigation Main Canal. At present, the irrigation area controlled by Hongze Ancient Irrigation District exceeds 30,000 square meters.

The ancient Hongze irrigation area originated from the Pofutang in the fourth year of Jian'an in the Eastern Han Dynasty (199 AD). What's more rare is that the Hongze Lake embankment in the irrigation area is the longest embankment in ancient times that is still in use.

The Hongze Ancient Irrigation District currently houses the 67-kilometer-long Hongze Lake embankment, the 15-kilometer-long masonry wall built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and five remaining irrigation and drainage channels from the Three Kingdoms period to the Qing dynasty. In addition, there are also spectacular rolling dam sites and breach sites.

The operation record of the rolling dam has lasted for more than 110 years, and the water level observation record has lasted for more than 120 years... These non-engineering relics also have extremely high heritage value.

3. Shanxi Hongdong Huoquan Irrigation Project

Huoquan is located at the foot of Huoshan Mountain in the northeast of Hongdong County, Shanxi Province. It was born out of the Himalayan orogeny more than 2 million years ago. The Huoquan Irrigation Project is part of the Fenhe River system. The earliest documented record of the project can be found in the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty. By the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, there were 5 channels for diverting water to irrigate fields, namely Lize Canal, Nanhuo Canal, Fuhuo Canal, Xiaohuo Canal and Qinggou Canal.

The Huoquan Irrigation Project is famous for its unique water conservancy self-management system, which is based on "acres of land" and "water households", and the relative independence of the channels. It is also famous for the fairness of water use reflected in the channel register and husband register systems. The water rights system it contains reflects relative fairness and is known as the "Huoquan Water Law".

Today, the Huoquan Irrigation Project still plays an important role in irrigation and water supply. Its irrigation area exceeds 6,700 square meters, covering five townships including Dahuaishu in Hongdong County.

4. Bai Ni Ancient Weir, Chongyang, Hubei

Chongyang County is located in Xianning, Hubei Province. It has a well-developed water system, with crisscrossing rivers and 51 large and small river ports. The Lushui River, a first-level tributary on the right bank of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, is located within its territory, with a total length of about 67 kilometers. Chongyang is dotted with ponds and weirs, and there were still more than 900 of them in the mid-1980s. It is known as the "Hometown of Hundred Weirs".

Baini Ancient Weir is located in Baini Town, Chongyang County. It includes Yuanbi Weir and Shijian Weir and is part of the Lushui water system in the Yangtze River Basin. Baini Ancient Weir was first built during the Later Tang Dynasty of the Five Dynasties and currently irrigates an area of ​​more than 2,300 square meters.

The Shijian Weir headworks is at the bottom of the weir, and the flood discharge and sediment discharge bottom hole is rectangular, with a gate at the hole for easy opening and closing. Its design is unique. At the end of the flood season, the flood discharge and sediment discharge bottom hole is opened to discharge the flow, and the sediment accumulated in front of the dam can also be discharged, which has enabled the weir to operate safely for more than 1,000 years. At present, the weir still has a certain storage capacity.

Comprehensive sources: Comprehensive sources, Science and Technology Daily, Anhui Provincial Water Resources Department, Jiangsu Provincial Water Resources Department, Shanxi Water Resources, Hubei Water Resources, etc.