In April, the land of Inner Mongolia is full of spring and the sky is clear. Wandering in Wuliangsuhai, the sound of birdsong comes and goes, the reeds on the wide lake are swaying, sparkling, and the blue sky reflects the clear water, a peaceful picture.
Located at the top of the Yellow River's "zigzag bend", Wuliangsuhai is a typical large-scale multi-functional freshwater lake in the north of the mainland, known as the "pearl outside the plug", and is called "one lake and two seas" together with Hulun Lake and Daihai Lake.
The picture shows Wuliang Suhai (data map). Photo by Cui Boqun
As a rare large-scale grassland lake in desert and semi-desert areas around the world, Wuliangsuhai prevents the eastward erosion of Ulan Bu and desert, and undertakes important functions such as regulating the water volume of the Yellow River, protecting biodiversity, and improving regional climate.
Since the 90s of the 20th century, a large number of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, urban domestic sewage and industrial wastewater that have not been absorbed by crops in the Hetao irrigation area have entered the Wuliangsu Sea, resulting in the deterioration of the water quality of the Wuliangsu Sea year by year.
From 2008 to 2018, Bayannur City implemented a number of projects to govern the ecological environment, accelerating the promotion of agricultural "four control" actions such as fertilizer control and efficiency increase, drug control and harm reduction, membrane control and efficiency improvement, and water control and harm reduction, so as to reduce the impact of farmland water retreat on Wuliangsuhai, which makes the water in Wuliangsuhai clearer and clearer, and there are more and more fish.
The picture shows a large tractor recycling residual film. Photo courtesy of Jia Tian
In the past few days, in Sumu (Sumu is equivalent to a township) in Erden Prague Sumu (Sumu is equivalent to a township) in the former banner of Ulate, large residual film recovery tractors organized by various Gacha Party branches can be seen everywhere to remove white pollution from the fields.
"We have been using the film for more than 30 years, and in the past, it was turned directly into the ground, which caused serious soil pollution, which was not only not conducive to the growth of crops, but also caused serious pollution to the adjacent Wuliangsuhai. Wang Xi, a villager of Erden Prague Sumu Alibengacha (Gacha equivalent village), said.
In recent years, Erden Prague Sumu has vigorously promoted the film-free shallow burial drip irrigation planting technology, increased the use of high-strength plastic film and fully biodegradable plastic film, solved the problem of non-point source pollution and residual film recycling "last mile", and returned farmland to new green.
"Residual film recycling is one of the 'four controls' of agriculture, and it is also an important measure to promote the comprehensive prevention and control of agricultural non-point source pollution in Wuliangsuhai, which plays an important role in the ecological protection and restoration of the Wuliangsuhai Basin. Wang Pu, head of the Urad Qianqi Branch of the Bayannur Ecological Environment Bureau, said.
The picture shows tourists traveling by boat in the Uliangsuhai Sea. (Data map). Photo by Zhang Linhu
In recent years, Bayannur has strictly implemented standardized agricultural planting, made full use of the "four controls" technology, increased the application of organic fertilizer, and adopted the Yellow River water clarification, drip irrigation under the membrane, and water and fertilizer integration technology, so that water and fertilizer are supplied accurately, regularly and quantitatively.
The modern agricultural demonstration park, located on the south bank of Wuliangsu Sea, also showcased the results of systematic governance.
Here, through modern agricultural technologies such as drone plant protection and Beidou satellite navigation automatic farming, the average use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides per mu has been reduced by 10%.
"Judging from the corn planting last year, the integrated irrigation mode of water and fertilizer with the Yellow River water clarification drip irrigation water and fertilizer is adopted, and the average water use per mu is about 50% less than that of the traditional Yellow River flood irrigation. The average yield of farmers per mu has increased by more than 100 kilograms, so as to increase farmers' income, increase precipitation efficiency, and achieve high-quality production. According to Bai Enze, the person in charge of a company in the demonstration park, the harvest and protection go hand in hand.
It is understood that by the end of 2023, the water consumption of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and agricultural irrigation in Urad Qianqi has achieved sustained negative growth, and agricultural non-point source pollution has been effectively controlled.
The picture shows Wuliang Suhai (data map). Photo by Cui Boqun
Whether the environment is good or not, migratory birds know first, which is one of the most obvious results of the comprehensive management of the ecological environment of Wuliangsuhai.
Wang Pu told reporters that in mid-February every year, the first batch of migratory birds will arrive in Wuliangsuhai. After that, a large number of migratory birds such as mute swans, ruddy shelducks, and red-billed gulls have arrived one after another to inhabit and breed here. In late autumn, migratory birds will stop in Wuliangsuhai to rest and fly south for winter.
The picture shows Cao Tieshan sorting out the sailboat (data map). Photo by Zhang Linhu
"Now there are more than 260 species of birds migrating and breeding here every year, and Wuliangsuhai has become an important habitat for migratory birds. Wang Pu said that the water quality of Wuliangsu has also improved from inferior class V to overall class IV, the water body has improved from mild eutrophication state to medium trophic state, and biodiversity has continued to recover.
With the improvement of the ecological environment, there are more tourists in Wuliangsuhai.
Witnessing the rebirth of Wuliang Suhai, the five Cao Tieshan brothers bought a sailboat and started tourism on this "sea", while Zhang Meixia, a local, also started a grilled fish business again after more than 30 years. Their income has increased year by year, which has become the best evidence of the "rebirth" of Wuliang Suhai.
Source: China News Network
Editor: Hu Mengying
Editor: Zhao Zongjie
Final review: Li Enguang
Director: Zhao Huiru