Inner Mongolia’s East Juyan Lake has not dried up for 20 consecutive years, marking a significant milestone in China’s ecological restoration efforts. Once parched and lifeless, the lake has transformed into a thriving ecosystem, thanks to sustained water diversion initiatives.
Located at the tail of the Heihe River in Ejin Banner, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, East Juyan Lake dried up in 1992 after decades of water overuse in the river’s middle and upper reaches for irrigation purposes. The loss of the lake led to the expansion of surrounding deserts—the Badain Jaran, Tengger, and Ulan Buh—at a rate of 100,000 hectares per year. This desertification contributed to frequent sandstorms that swept across north China each spring.
Recognizing the urgent need for ecological intervention, China launched a desertification control project in 2001. By 2005, East Juyan Lake remained filled throughout the entire year for the first time since its drying. Today, the lake maintains a water area of 30 to 40 square kilometers year-round, becoming a haven for wildlife, including 133 bird species and over 100,000 migratory birds.
The environmental resurgence has also positively impacted the region’s climate and landscape. Ejin Banner has experienced a 50 percent decline in sandstorms since the 1980s, signaling a healthier and more stable ecosystem.
The Heihe River, China’s second-largest continental river and a crucial ecological barrier in the northwest, has seen reduced water flow since last year. In response, the Ministry of Water Resources conducted three strategic water diversions into East Juyan Lake—one in winter and two in spring—the first instance of consecutive diversions during these seasons. Early August witnessed the Heihe River Basin Administration Bureau utilizing the Huangzang Temple water conservancy project for ecological water diversion, ensuring the sustained vitality of East Juyan Lake and protection of oases along the river basin.
“Since the implementation of the comprehensive water diversion project, we have striven to realize the water distribution plan of the Heihe River’s main stream,” said Liu Longtao, deputy director of the Heihe River Basin Administration Bureau Office. “A total of 1.276 billion cubic meters of water have been diverted to the East Juyan Lake, with an average annual water diversion of 58 million cubic meters.”
The success story of East Juyan Lake serves as a model for ecological restoration and sustainable resource management in arid regions, highlighting the impact of coordinated environmental policies and cross-regional cooperation.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
