The new irrigation project in Anhui has imposed restrictions on population migration to multiple areas. Official interpretation: Areas outside the construction zone are not affected.

Recently, the Anhui Provincial Government’s official website released a notice titled “Notice on Stopping New Construction Projects and Controlling Population Migration within the Land Area of the Anhui Two Lakes Irrigation District Project” (hereinafter referred to as the “Notice”). The Notice specifies that the newly constructed large-scale irrigation project involves 147 villages (communities) and 4 agricultural farms in Zongyang County and its urban area in Tongling City, Tongcheng City in Anqing, and Wuwei City in Wuhu, where new construction projects will be halted and population migration will be controlled.

According to the Notice, the Anhui Two Lakes Irrigation District Project is located in the Caizi Lake water system and the Baidang Lake water system on the left bank of the Yangtze River. It is a newly established large-scale irrigation project outlined in the “Anhui Province Modern Water Network Construction Plan” and the “Implementation Plan for the Construction of the Anhui Province Modern Water Network Pilot Area (2023-2025).”

The Notice states that from the date of its release until December 31, 2028, the land area of the Anhui Two Lakes Irrigation District Project will be designated as a controlled area (hereinafter referred to as the “Controlled Area”) where new construction projects will be halted and population migration will be controlled. The Controlled Area includes Zongyang County and its urban area in Tongling City, Tongcheng City in Anqing, and Wuwei City in Wuhu, covering a total of 23 towns and 1 agricultural farm, comprising 147 villages (communities) and 4 agricultural farm branches.

Within the specific boundaries of the Controlled Area, no units or individuals are allowed to construct, renovate, or expand projects, develop land, build houses or other facilities, or plant new perennial economic crops and trees. Migration into the Controlled Area is prohibited, except for normal relocations after following relevant procedures, spouses joining, and the migration of minor children or dependents, as well as the return of discharged military personnel, college graduates, and individuals released from prison to their original residences. Birth registrations for infants in the Controlled Area are not restricted.

On December 7, Zongyang County, within the land area of the Anhui Two Lakes Irrigation District Project, published an interpretative article on the official platform Zongyang Online, addressing several concerns raised by netizens.

The article clarified that the “Controlled Area” refers to the region involved in the project, defined by administrative villages (communities), specifically the area occupied by the construction of the project, rather than the entire administrative village (community). Most of the project consists of linear channel works, generally only affecting the areas where the channels cross, similar to road construction. The specific scope of the project construction will be announced separately.

Additionally, the announcement by the Anhui Provincial Government serves as the legal basis and prerequisite for the physical survey of land acquisition for the project. From the date of the announcement until the completion of the project, no new construction, renovation, or expansion projects are allowed, nor is land development or the construction of houses and other facilities permitted, to avoid redundant construction and losses. Construction and population migration outside the designated area will not be affected.

Regarding the benefits of the Two Lakes Irrigation District Project, the interpretative article noted that Zongyang County experienced severe droughts in 2019 and 2022, leading to many farmlands in the mountainous areas lacking irrigation water, resulting in significant reductions in grain production. The Two Lakes Irrigation District Project can effectively address these issues. By constructing and renovating water lifting stations, irrigation channels, sluices, pump stations, and ponds, it can increase and improve the irrigated area of farmland in Zongyang County by 573,000 acres, greatly contributing to food security and rural revitalization.

The Paper (www.thepaper.cn) noted that the Tongcheng City Water Conservancy Bureau had released the “First Public Announcement of the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Anhui Two Lakes Irrigation District Project” (hereinafter referred to as the “EIA Announcement”) on December 6.

According to the EIA Announcement, the Anhui Two Lakes Irrigation District is located on the left bank of the Yangtze River, spanning three prefecture-level cities: Tongling, Wuhu, and Anqing, involving Zongyang County, its urban area, and Pujixu Farm in Tongling City, Wuwei City in Wuhu, and Tongcheng City in Anqing. The irrigation district extends west to Caizi Lake (Kongcheng River), south and east to the Yangtze River, and north to the boundaries of the Peishi Hang Irrigation District, Zhangyuan Reservoir Irrigation District, and Liantangxu Irrigation District.

The aforementioned EIA Announcement disclosed that the task of the Anhui Two Lakes Irrigation District Project is primarily focused on agricultural irrigation while also considering ecological water use. This will be achieved through the construction and renovation of water storage, lifting, and transportation facilities, as well as the integration of existing small and medium-sized irrigation districts, to increase and improve the irrigated area, providing hydraulic support for ensuring food security.

The Anhui Two Lakes Irrigation District Project is designed to irrigate an area of 876,000 acres. The project plans to construct two water lifting pump stations on the Yangtze River, with a total designed lifting flow of 26 m³/s; build 242.47 km of main water transportation channels (pipelines); construct 18 internal water lifting pump stations with a total designed lifting flow of 48.67 m³/s, including 10 first-level water lifting stations with a total lifting flow of 31.31 m³/s; and carry out dredging, protection, and renovation of existing medium-sized irrigation district channels and structures. The total construction period is 36 months, with a total investment of approximately 6.115 billion yuan.