Confucius River gets a green makeover
2025-05-11 21:05:59
By Chen Si.
Yichang’s Confucius River is undergoing a comprehensive ecological restoration and development project, with the first phase expected to wrap up soon.
The mainstream of the Confucius River is more than 60 kilometers long and flows through 12 villages in three townships of Xingshan County. Its basin covers 196 square kilometers and is home to about 5,000 people.
Yichang’s Confucius River is undergoing a comprehensive ecological restoration and development project, with the first phase expected to wrap up soon.
The mainstream of the Confucius River is more than 60 kilometers long and flows through 12 villages in three townships of Xingshan County. Its basin covers 196 square kilometers and is home to about 5,000 people.
Ecological embankment on the Confucius River.
Photo by Liu Hui
Photo by Liu Hui
A key component of the project is the Lianghekou Reservoir - Xingshan County’s main water source. Once completed, it will supply drinking water for 31,000 residents and irrigate more than 670 hectares of farmland.
Other initiatives fall under the Confucius River Basin Comprehensive Upgrading and Tourism Development Project, which has a total investment of 308 million yuan (US$42.5 million). These include mine environment protection upgrading projects, tourist centers and rest stations, landscape projects and improvements to the rafting scenic area.
At the two phosphate mines, where more than 200 trucks used to ship 30 tons of ore daily, 52.5 kilometers of pipelines are being laid to transport the material. This shift is expected to reduce wastewater and dust pollution.
In another green initiative, Xingshan has invested more than 40 million yuan to build photovoltaic power generation stations along the Confucius River to restore the surrounding ecosystem.
The Shukongping Phosphate Mine after ecological upgrades. Photo by Liu HuiA traffic center complex with an investment of 3.57 million yuan is now entering its interior decoration phase. The new complex will have restaurants, local product sales booths, parking lots and electric vehicle charging areas. Once complete, drivers can rest and restock supplies, while local farmers can come to sell agricultural products. It is expected to create jobs for 50 households and more than 100 people.
At Chaotianhou, where the Confucius and Wangjia rivers merge into the Gaolan River, the Chaotianhou Rafting Scenic Spot is undergoing major upgrades.
The local government has invested about 160 million yuan to build a new tunnel, upgrade retail facilities, add more than 1,00 parking spaces and construct a campsite for RVs.
“The Jiangjunzhu Tunnel is 80 percent complete. The RV camp has been put into operation. Most of the commercial upgrading projects have been completed,” said Zhang Kun, the engineer in charge of the second phase of the project. He said they aim to complete all the work before rafting season begins.
In recent years, Xingshan has continued to promote the comprehensive management of the Confucius River Basin.
“In recent years, people's lives have become more and more prosperous, thanks to the increasingly clear water of the Confucius River,” said Gan Yong, director of the Xingshan Water Resources Bureau.
Wan Chunfeng, Liu Hui and Qin Yi contributed to this story.
