Xichuan River Ecological Restoration
Xichuan River Ecological Restoration
The goal of this river restoration project, located about 40 kilometres east of the city of Zhengzhou in China’s Henan province, was the rejuvenation of 1.5 kilometres of heavily polluted canal/river course flowing through the middle of a newly-built residential precinct, together with the creation of a linear park running along each bank.
The land in question had previously been used for agricultural purposes, but the watercourse had been significantly degraded by discharges of domestic sewage, chemical pollutants, and fertiliser. In addition, its banks had been straightened and hardened in ways that prevented growth of wetland plants and effectively eliminated aquatic life.
With most pollution originating far upstream and therefore impossible to eliminate at source, landscaping design focused on ecological purification. Since work was completed in 2021, water quality has been improved to grade three on China’s five-point water classification system.
Designers addressed sediment pollution by removing concrete banks and recreating a winding, wider (ie, 10-15 metres) riverbed, thereby slowing water flow and allowing the return of plants, fish, and other river wildlife. In addition, different types of plant-based water filtration, including an “internal circular purification pool”, a wetland area, and an “underwater forest” were implemented in the upriver section to maximise ongoing purification efforts.
Apart from project’s function in terms of river restoration, the creation of a public recreational facility for enjoyment by nearby residents was another priority, with a variety of activities assigned to different parts of the rivercourse.
While the jury suggested that public access to the river area from adjacent neighbourhoods could be improved (as is usual in China, housing complexes have been walled in with only a few gateways for access), it seems likely that better access will be provided as the project continues to attract both publicity and increasing numbers of visitors.
Given the sweeping extent of China’s water pollution problems, there is an obvious need for local projects of this type that aim return polluted watercourses to a semblance of their former selves, as well as to provide open space opportunities to densely-populated residential developments.
The project has achieved significant recognition on a provincial basis, and the potential for replicability is therefore obvious, especially as local governments will often impose an obligation on developers to improve the public domain as part of developer purchases of land-use rights. Quite apart from that, land values surrounding the Xichuan River project have increased by 80 percent (to some Rmb18 per square metres) as a result of the completion of river restoration efforts. This again provides financial incentives to both developers and local governments to embark on projects of this type.