Shichuan River Built into An Eco-park

The comprehensive renovation project of Shichuan River Eco-park has improved the ecological environment in downtown area.

Along the riverside beach, children were playing games on the sands while their parents were chatting; on the riverside tracks people were riding or walking in twos and threes with sweating runners passing through; in the river, sightseeing boats were rippling in front of the landscape waterwheel.

Above was the scenery at dusk on August 15 in Shichuan River Eco-park. Now the clear river is rippling with green wavelets against lush green grass and the flowers in the park are in full bloom surrounded by singing birds.

Shichuan River comprehensive renovation project (urban section) in Fuping County, or the Shichuan River Eco-park, as the major section of Weihe River basin comprehensive renovation in Shaanxi Province and the national pilot wetland park approved by State Forestry Administration of the PRC, has been completed with remarkable success.

Called Qiju River in ancient times, Shichuan River originates from Qihe River and Juhe River in the city of Tongchuan and flows through Fuping County, Yanliang District and Lintong District in Xi’an to Weihe River. The Fuping section of Shichuan River is 36.4 km. In 1970s, Taoqupo Reservoir was constructed upstream to store water, making Shichuan River a seasonal river.

With total investment of RMB 790 million and covering a total area of 2330 mu, the Eco-park project adopts BT financing model. The phase I project has water storage capacity of 510 thousand cubic meters and covers an area of 1480 mu with length of 2.2 km, including landscaping area of 630 mu, waterscape of 450 mu, and municipal engineering and supporting facilities of 400 mu. The phase I project is composed of sub-projects of watercourse renovation, riverside park, riverside track and Pinyang Avenue Square. The phase I project was started in March 2014 and opened in April 2016 after completion. At present, the phase II project is under construction.

To meet the water demand of Shichuan River Eco-park, two solutions are adopted to protect the water source: first, water from Jinghe River in Sanyuan County of Xianyang will be drawn through Jinghui Canal to Shichuan River; and second, water from Taoqupo Reservoir will be drawn off regularly to provide water for Shichuan River.

As a project of massive public interest, the Eco-park has not only increased the environmental carrying capacity of Fuping County, but also greatly improved the living environment of urban residents. In the morning of August 16, the journalist interviewed Guo Benle, a 65-year-old local resident from Wangdan Group, Zhuwang Village, Chengguan District who was in the process of fitness walking. “In the past, Shichuan River was overgrown with weeds and overflowing with sewage. We suffered a lot from mosquitoes and flies and could not get to sleep without the help of bed nets. Now things are changed: clear water, green grass and fresh air are on our sides. I walk along the riverside for 5 km in the morning and sleep well at night without mosquito nets,” Guo said.