Practice and performance of integrated water regulation for the Heihe River mainstream
ZHANG Gecheng
DONG Guotao
Abstract：The Heihe River basin initiated the integrated regulation and management of mainstream water volume in 2000.In the implementation of integrated water regulation and ecological protection and governance of the Heihe River,the Heihe River Bureau guided by President Xi Jinping's water governance principles of"prioritizing water conservation,balancing spatial distribution,taking systematic approaches and promoting government-market synergy",has integrated the concept of"lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets"into the construction of the basin's community of life,forming a"five-in-one"integrated governance system of"administrative leadership,legal guarantee,economic incentives,engineering foundation,and technological support".At the administrative level,a management system combining basin management with regional management and a system of responsibility for administrative heads have been established;at the legal level,a legal framework based on relevant national water laws and regulations,with special management measures as the core and local supporting regulations as supplements,has initially taken shape;at the economic level,water rights system reform and pilot ecological compensation work in Gansu Province have been carried out;at the engineering level,the leading role of the Huangzangsi Water Control Project has been brought into play,and ecological system function enhancement projects such as river dredging and bundling projects,ecological sluices and dams,and fencing enclosures have been implemented in coordination;at the technological level,the Heihe River water regulation simulation and decision support system was developed,and the"winter-spring continuous"water transfer mode was innovatively implemented.Under a series of innovative practices of integrated water regulation in the Heihe River mainstream,all ecological flow targets have been met,downstream water volume has increased significantly,biodiversity restoration effectiveness is remarkable,and win-win economic and social benefits have been achieved.It is recommended to promote the protection and governance of the Heihe River to a new level through continuous innovation in science and technology,systems,and policies in the future.
Keywords：Heihe River mainstreamintegrated water regulationinnovative practicewinter-spring continuouswater resources regulationecological protection and governance
Publication Date：2026-02-12
Online Publishing Date：2026-03-12(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 27-32 )