Tarim River Should Be Harnessed: Experts

Experts have suggested that the ecologically deteriorating Tarim River in northwest China should be harnessed as part of the state's efforts to put in order major rivers.

A group of academicians from the Division of Biological Science of the prestigious Chinese Academy of Sciences have already presented the suggestion to the central government, according to a meeting on June 6.

To protect the environment and ecology of the river's valley, more efforts should be made to control the water usage in the upper reaches, bring under control the middle reaches and protect the green belt in the lower part, the experts said.

The harnessing of the middle reaches is expected to add two to three billion cubic meters of water to the present volume of the river.

The experts also suggested that the water usage by local enterprises should be rationed so as to ensure the sustainable development of the ecological environment of the valley.

As the longest inland river of the country, Tarim runs 1,321 kilometers and nurtures a population of 7.8 million in the arid Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

In recent years, the ecological environment of the Tarim valley has been deteriorating, especially in the lower reaches of the river.

The drying out of the river in some sections has resulted in the dropping of underground water levels, the worsening of water quality and the abandoning of farming land.

The degradation of natural vegetation in the valley has also contributed to the enlarging of Taklimakan and other deserts.

The experts said that human factors, such as the large-scale reclaiming of wasteland, the primitive methods of irrigation and poor water conservancy facilities, are responsible for the rapidly worsening of the river's ecological environment.

The river's harnessing will benefit not only the ecological environment, but also the sustainable development of the multi- ethnic region, according to the experts.

Initial progress has already been achieved in the nation's efforts to harness the country's major rivers and lakes such as the Huaihe River, Liaohe River and the Taihu Lake.

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