Ecological culture

2020-11-12

(1) Historical Evolution

Hundreds of millions of years ago, the Lushan Xihai region was subjected to marine transgression, resulting in the deposition of a set of sedimentary rocks. As the Earth's crust rose and intense geological movements took place, numerous fractures developed within these sedimentary rocks. Thanks to the region’s abundant rainfall, rainwater carved into these rock fractures, creating deep gullies and ravines. Over tens of millions of years, continuous erosion by wind and water caused some of the rocks to collapse, giving rise to towering mountain peaks. In the 1970s, the local government constructed dams across the rivers in the canyon, submerging thousands of mountain bodies beneath the water—leaving only the peaks visible above the surface and thus creating the spectacular scenery of the “Lake of a Thousand Islands.” Over billions of years, geological processes and human interventions in nature have jointly shaped the breathtakingly magnificent Lake of a Thousand Islands in Lushan Xihai.

To commemorate the geological transformations of Lushan Xihai, one island in the Xihai Lake area is named Canghai Island, and another is named Sangtian Island.

(2) Hydraulic and Hydrological Studies

The Xihai Lake area in Lushan boasts an elevation ranging from 20 to 150 meters. It is the largest artificial lake in Jiangxi Province and also Asia's largest reservoir built with an earth dam. Currently, it serves primarily as a power-generation facility, while also providing comprehensive benefits such as flood control, irrigation, navigation, and the development of aquaculture.

Xihai Lake was created by damming the Xiu River, one of Jiangxi’s five major rivers. The Xiu River originates at the southern foot of Mufu Mountain—located at the junction of Pingjiang County in Hunan Province, Tongcheng County in Hubei Province, and Xiushui County in Jiangxi Province—and flows through Tonggu, Xiushui, and Wuning before meeting the Nong River downstream of Yongxiu Mountain. Near Wucheng, it joins the Gan River and eventually flows into Poyang Lake. The river has a total length of 419 kilometers. During the flood season, its width ranges from 500 to 800 meters; in the dry season, it narrows to between 200 and 300 meters. The river’s depth varies from 3 to 5 meters, with a flow velocity of 0.6 meters per second. Its historically recorded maximum discharge rate is approximately 12,100 cubic meters per second. The catchment area of Xihai Lake covers 9,340 square kilometers, and its normal water level corresponds to a reservoir area of 308 square kilometers. The lake’s total storage capacity is 7.92 billion cubic meters. At its normal operating water level of 65 meters above sea level, the reservoir holds a volume of 5.017 billion cubic meters, with an average water depth of around 45 meters. In addition to the Xiu River, the scenic area also includes 13 other rivers and streams, such as Chuantan River, as well as several small lakes, ponds, and weirs—all of which contribute surface water to the region.

Through human intervention and transformation, Lushan West Sea has now become a new favorite tourist destination in Jiujiang—a place characterized by vast, shimmering waters, lush green islands surrounded by vibrant foliage, stunning natural scenery, and a pleasant climate. This has enabled the rational allocation and efficient utilization of water resources. At the same time, leveraging its natural topographical features, the area is making prudent use of hydropower resources, thereby providing a solid foundation for further vigorous development of agricultural irrigation. This will enhance the reliability of agricultural irrigation and improve irrigation water-use efficiency, thus contributing to the secure production of food crops.

(3) Flora and fauna

The scenic area boasts a diverse ecological environment, providing an ideal habitat and breeding ground for a wide variety of flora and fauna. With an average water depth of 45 meters and a visibility of 11 meters, the water contains 150,000 suspended particles per cubic centimeter, qualifying it as Class I national water quality and Grade I air quality. It is also the largest breeding ground in China for the “aquatic giant panda”—the peach blossom jellyfish.

The scenic area is home to a total of 310 bird species, with a population of 400,000 birds, including 115 species that are protected at the national level. Among them, 11 species are classified as National Level I Protected Birds, 40 species as National Level II Protected Birds, and 102 species as Provincial-level Protected Animals. There are 35 mammal species in total, including 1 National Level I Protected Animal, 5 National Level II Protected Animals, and 12 Provincial-level Protected Animals. Additionally, there are 28 species of amphibians and reptiles, of which 5 are classified as National Level II Protected Animals and 15 as Provincial-level Protected Animals. The fish fauna comprises 118 species belonging to 25 families.

The western sea area boasts lush forests and intact vegetation, with a forest coverage rate reaching 84%. Among them, the forest coverage on Yunju Mountain is as high as 89.2%, and the total standing timber volume exceeds 400,000 cubic meters. The region is home to over 2,000 plant species, including more than 1,000 higher plants, over 20 varieties of fruit tree forests, 15 types of artificial forests, 115 species of trees, and over 40 species of ornamental plants.

Keywords:

Chen Yinke

Style Lei

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