Presenter
Mr. Ding-wei Liu, Department of Water Resources of Yunnan Province
Co-author(s)
Dr. Li Zhou, Changjiang Institute of Survey, Planning, Design and Research
Mr. Dong Jin, Yunnan Institute of Water & Hydropower Engineering Investigation, Design and Research
Sub-theme
1. Water-Human-Economy(Agriculture, Industry, City...)-Ecology Nexus under a Changing Environment
Topic
1-4. Water security challenges in key regions
Body
The Yuanyang Terrace is located in the south of Ailao mountain in Yuanyang county, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous prefecture, Yunnan province, China. The Yuanyang Terrace is the core area of the Honghe Hani Terrace, a world cultural heritage site. The Ailao mountain has the natural geographical advantage of “high in elevation and rich in groundwater”. By digging canals to divert water into the terraced fields, the irrigation water is distributed in steps from top to bottom and eventually into rivers. As a result, a beautiful picture of harmonious coexistence of natural environment, village and terraced fields is formed. These provide valuable experience for Yunnan to speed up the construction of irrigated areas, and to create “Yuanyang Terrace” in the new era with plateau three-dimensional characteristics. The “Yuanyang Terrace” in the new era is attributed with the world history and culture, national strategic position and Yunnan ecological civilization. This contributes to the sustainable development of ecology, economy and society. It is urgent to accelerate the construction of a modern three-dimensional water network in mountainous areas, which includes engineering projects of water source, water conveyance and irrigation area. Thus the engineering water shortage and other related problems that restrict the development of Yunnan agriculture can be resolved. “Strengthening the modernization construction and reconstruction of irrigated areas” is the key content clearly put forward in the national “14th Five-Year Plan for Ensuring Water Safety”. The water conservancy is the lifeblood of food production, which can effectively support the production of featured agricultural products and promote the improvement of local people’s economic development and living standards. This paper focuses on the construction of “Yuanyang Terrace” in the new era, and provides some countermeasures and suggestions for the abovementioned issues. This paper provides some reference for the construction of plateau characteristic agricultural irrigation area according to local conditions in Yunnan province.