A farmer in Juancheng county, Shandong province, checks irrigation water in his wheat fields on Feb 7. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
As the Su Sizhuang Yellow River diversion gate and the Old City Yellow River diversion gate in Juancheng county, Shandong province, rise slowly, the surging water from the Yellow River flows along the zigzag water channels, rushing toward the wheat fields in the county.
The scene not only marks the start of annual spring irrigation work in Juancheng — which, under the jurisdiction of the city of Heze, administers two sub-districts and 15 towns — but also injects vigor into the growth of wheat.
"The water came just in time, as the wheat seedlings, having been 'thirsty' for a winter, can now 'drink' water to quench their thirst," said Li Yugui, a villager from Fangai village in Hongchuan town, as he watched the gurgling water flow into his wheat fields.
After the Beginning of Spring in China's lunar calendar, the temperature gradually rose and wheat gradually enters its greening period, making irrigation a crucial link for agricultural production. Seeking this, the county's Water Affairs Bureau promptly released water from the Yellow River at 5 pm on Feb 7, making water flow rate on that day reach 631 cubic meters per second.
At Susizhuang Yellow River diversion gate the flow rate hit 5 cubic meters per second, while at the Old City Yellow River diversion gate, the rate reached 2 cubic meters per second, providing strong support for the spring irrigation work for farmland.
"This winter, there has been less rainfall. The timely irrigation can help us not to delay the harvest of wheat," said Yan Zhaojun, a villager from Yanzhuang village in Yinma town, noting that watching the Yellow River water enter his wheat fields made him feel at ease.
Belonging to the alluvial plain of the Yellow River, Juancheng is rich with groundwater resources, with a per capita water consumption of 370 cubic meters —1.4 times the average level in Shandong, and ranking as a first-class water-rich area in China.
Nearby, villagers shuttled in groups of three or five in the fields, sometimes busy checking the water flow and sometimes placing drainage pipes — showing a picture of rural labor in the hopeful fields.
Liu Baoying, director of the Yellow River Irrigation Project Management Service Center in Juancheng, said the county mainly has two irrigation areas. Among them, the Susizhuang Irrigation District mainly supplies water to towns and sub-districts such as Linpu and Fuchun through the Sanfen River, Nanzong Canal, and Jindi Sand Transport Canal, while the Old City Irrigation Area supplies water to towns and sub-districts such as the old city and Danian through the South Sand Canal.
Liu said: "Based on the current water flow of the Yellow River, we optimized the water resource allocation plan according to the distribution of farmland and water demand in each town and sub-district, prioritizing the supply of water for wheat greening, and ensuring that every wheat field can receive timely irrigation."
To ensure the smooth progress of irrigation work, the Juancheng County Water Affairs Bureau has organized technical personnel to conduct a comprehensive and detailed inspection of the county's agricultural water conservancy facilities in advance.
"During the spring irrigation process, we also sent technical service teams to go deep into the fields and provide technical guidance and services to the villagers, helping them master scientific irrigation methods and reducing water resource waste," said Zhang Jie, deputy director of the county's Water Affairs Bureau.
Meanwhile, village leaders also timely released irrigation information and technical guidance through channels such as broadcasting and WeChat groups, allowing the villagers to understand the dynamics of spring irrigation.
"At present, our spring irrigation work is progressing in an orderly manner, providing strong support for the vigorous growth of wheat," added Zhang.
