Ecological water irrigates 250,000 mu of populus euphratica forest-TIANSHANNET-天山网

On the morning of July 25, as the No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 ecological sluice gates on the south bank of the Tarim River rose slowly, the water of the Tarim River flowed into the populus euphratica forest along the flood diversion channel, and 250,000 mu of populus euphratica forest welcomed a new round of ecological water transfer.

Photo shows ecological water flows into the populus euphratica forest along the flood diversion channel. (Photo offered by the Forestry and Grassland Administration of Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture)

Over the past few days, the forest rangers of the National Nature Reserve of populus euphratica forests in the Tarim River Basin in Xinjiang have been busy cleaning up mud, deadwood and debris in the channels in the forest area, in order to allow more of the populus euphratica forest and other vegetation to be irrigated.

"Our job now is to let the water flow deeper into the populus euphratica forest." Ranger Yunus Yasen explained that in the past, the river had dried up, and a large area of populus euphratica trees was in urgent need of saving. But in the past few years, by building flood diversion facilities to irrigate the degrading populus euphratica trees, the poplars have come back to life again, and everyone is very happy about it.

Located in the middle reaches of the Tarim River, the National Nature Reserve of populus euphratica forests in the Tarim River Basin in Xinjiang is a mega forest ecosystem nature reserve, which constitutes a natural defence for the development of agriculture and animal husbandry in the desert area of Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture. In order to solve the problem of drought and water shortage in the populus euphratica forests, since Xinjiang launched the populus euphratica forests rescue operation in 2019, the Administration of the National Nature Reserve of populus euphratica forests in Tarim River Basin in Xinjiang, together with the Tarim River Basin Administration, has taken advantage of the arrival of floods in the Tarim River to carry out flood irrigation and ecological water transfer in the populus euphratica forests, and populus euphratica forests on both sides of the Tarim River have regained their vitality.

In recent years, the ecological water transfer volume and efficiency of the National Nature Reserve of populus euphratica forests in the Tarim River Basin in Xinjiang have repeatedly reached record highs. From 2019 to 2022, the annual average ecological water transfer for four consecutive years has exceeded 150 million cubic meters, with an irrigated area of 1.4 million mu. And this year, the ecological water quota has increased by 70 million cubic meters, which has provided water resources for the benign restoration of the ecosystems of the populus euphratica forests.

"This year, we launched the 2023-2027 water diversion and irrigation program, and plan to carry out flood diversion and water transfer for 1.25 million mu of populus euphratica forest, focusing on covering the populus euphratica forest where flood water did not cover in previous years, which means a further extension of water transfer by about 15 kilometers, so as to make the flood diversion and irrigation more precise and efficient. And we will continue to consolidate the achievements of ecological water transfer and ecological restoration." The person in charge of Administration of the National Nature Reserve of populus euphratica forests in the Tarim River Basin in Xinjiang said that after nearly five years of ecological water transfers, the protected populus euphratica forest has shown its vitality. Natural vegetation such as populus euphratica, rose willow and sacsaoul continue to increase, and animals such as wild red deer and Przewalski's gazelle are often found. The biodiversity of this area is further enriched.

(The Media Convergence Center of Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Reporter Zhang Xiaohong, Correspondent Jiang Aiqin)