Recently, according to the Water Resources Department of Xizang Autonomous Region, the water conservancy sector has achieved historic accomplishments and transformation over the past 60 years since the establishment of the XizangAutonomous Region, marking a historic leap from "chiseling ice for water " to " happy rivers and lakes," and providing strong support for Xizang's long-term stability and high-quality development.

Major water conservancy projects have filled historical gaps. As of now, Xizang has constructed 150 reservoirs of various types with a total storage capacity of 4.38 billion cubic meters and the annual water supply capacity exceeds 1.564 billion cubic meters, significantly enhancing water resource regulation capabilities. From the 9th Five-Year Plan to the 14th Five-Year Plan, investment in water conservancy constructionin Xizang has surged from 448 million yuan to 37.1 billion yuan, an 83-fold increase. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xizang has implemented a cumulative water conservancy investment of 90.123 billion yuan, surpassing the total of previous decades.

The guarantee capacity for farmland irrigation has undergone a historic enhancement. As of now, Xizang boasts 3 large-scale irrigation areas, 111 medium-scale irrigation areas, and 805 small-scale irrigation areas. Meanwhile,Xizang has basically formed an integrated farmland water conservancy irrigation guarantee system that combines "storage, diversion, irrigation, and drainage"depending on intensifying to implement the construction of "five small-scale water conservancy" projects. The irrigated area of cultivated land in Xizang has reached 4.2618 million mu, with an effective irrigation utilization coefficient of 0.463, laying a solid water conservancy foundation for ensuring food security, particularly highland barley security.

The issue of drinking water safety in agricultural and pastoral areas has been historically resolved. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xizang has invested a cumulative 9.372 billion yuan in ensuring drinking water safety in agricultural and pastoral areasand constructed over 26,000relatedprojects. The population coverage rate of drinking water safety in agricultural and pastoral areas has reached 100%. In recent years, in response to seasonal water shortages in high-altitude regions, new anti-freezing and heat-preservation technologies such as deep-well water extraction, solar-powered insulated houses, and pipeline anti-freezing measures have been adopted, effectively alleviating seasonal water shortages.

The flood and drought disaster prevention and control system has achieved a historic breakthrough. As of now, Xizang has constructed 4,506 kilometers of embankments, systematically treating key sections of 14 important rivers including the Yarlung Zangbo River, and completing 492 key river section projects for small and medium-sized rivers. Meanwhile, 98 key urban flood control projects, including those in Sangzhutse Districtof Xigaze City, have been implemented, significantly enhancing flood control capabilities in key urban areas and densely populated regions. Over 70 key mountain torrent flood control projects have been carried out. Since 2019, the "single-level deployment, multi-level application" model has been adopted to upgrade the regional-level mountain torrent disaster monitoring and early warning platform.

The management and protection of water resources and water ecology have achieved historic results. Xizang strengthens water resource assessmentfor planning and construction projectsand established the strictest water resource management system, indicator system, and assessment system. The "three red lines" indicators for total water use, water use efficiency, and pollutant discharge restrictions in water function zones have met assessment targets for 10 consecutive years. Over the past 60 years, a total of 3,957.56 square kilometers of soil erosion have been treated, and human-induced soil erosion has been brought under control.

The environmental protection mechanism for river and lake water has undergone a historic transformation. Xizanghasfully established the river and lake chief system, strengthened the spatial zoning and classified control of river and lake waters and shoreline, built 75 autonomous region-level happy rivers and lakes, carried out 269 river and lake health evaluations, and achieved a 100% river and lake health rate. The water quality compliance rate at both national and provincial controlled sections of rivers and lakes in Xizangis 100%.

Reporter: Wang Chao

Traslator: Zheng Yujie, Zhi Xinghua

Review: Phurbu Tsering, Dong Xiuli