Regeneration strategies for urban canal systems in arid regions of Northwest China:a case study of central urban area of Yinchuan City
REN Junwei
LU Muqiu
Abstract：This study focuses on the regeneration of urban canal systems in the arid regions of Northwest China,taking the central urban area of Yinchuan City in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region as the case study.Yinchuan is situated within the pilot area for the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin.Confronted with multiple challenges,including water scarcity,ecological fragility,and the preservation of cultural heritage in the region,this study systematically analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution patterns and dynamic mechanisms of Yinchuan's canal system over more than two millennia through historical document research and multi-modal field investigations,thereby identifying the core contradictions in the current situation.With the overarching goal of constructing a distinctive canal system for the"Lake City atop the Fortress",the study develops a systematic strategy system encompassing four dimensions:functional composite positioning,coordinated water quantity and quality regulation,activation of landscape context,and a closed-loop implementation guarantee.It focuses on exploring pathways for water quantity regulation that ensure ecological flow through multi-source water supply and internal circulation under a rigid water resource constraint system,as well as collaborative technical solutions for water quality improvement and connectivity restoration.Finally,taking the millennium-old Honghua Canal as an example,this paper elaborates on its comprehensive transformation strategy,encompassing ecological base restoration,culturally segmented narrative,and differentiated implementation demonstration.This study aims to provide a scientific,cultural,and operational reference for the renewal of urban waterfront spaces and the dynamic inheritance of irrigation engineering heritage in similar cities in the arid regions of Northwest China.
Keywords：arid region of Northwest Chinaurban canal systemtransformationirrigation engineering heritagewaterfront space renewalYinchuan CityHonghua Canal
Publication Date：2026-02-28
Online Publishing Date：2026-03-17(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：8( 30-37 )