Core Points - The article discusses the severe groundwater over-extraction issue in Hengshui City, Hebei Province, where agricultural water usage accounts for 77% of total water consumption [1] - A significant turnaround has been achieved in groundwater management, with the area of severely over-extracted deep groundwater in Hengshui being completely eliminated, and groundwater levels expected to rise by 6.3 meters by the second half of 2024 [1] Group 1: Groundwater Management - Hengshui has implemented strict management measures by designating areas as either no-extraction zones or limited-extraction zones to control groundwater usage [4] - The city has established a hierarchical management mechanism where local government officials are responsible for monitoring groundwater extraction [4][5] - The introduction of technology, such as card-operated water extraction systems, has led to more efficient water usage and cost management for farmers [4][10] Group 2: Surface Water Supplementation - Hengshui has initiated ecological water replenishment projects, including the introduction of 15 to 20 million cubic meters of water from the Yellow River to maintain water levels in Hengshui Lake [6] - Since 2014, a total of 820 million cubic meters of external water has been supplied to Hengshui Lake through various channels [6] - The city has improved its irrigation infrastructure, increasing the area irrigated by surface water to 4.45 million acres in 2023, with plans to expand to 5.145 million acres in 2024 [8] Group 3: Water Conservation Initiatives - The city has adopted advanced irrigation technologies, such as smart micro-drip irrigation systems, which have reduced water usage by 50% and lowered costs for farmers [10] - A comprehensive water-saving management system has been established, including the implementation of a contract water-saving management model [12] - By 2024, Hengshui aims to reduce water consumption per unit of GDP by 18.5% compared to 2020 levels, and water usage per unit of industrial added value by 45.9% [13]
河北衡水拧紧“水龙头”
Ren Min Ri Bao Hai Wai Ban·2025-06-23 23:02