NetWork
Research and application of X-band hydrological radar rainfall retrieval model in Hunan Province
HE Bingshun;ZHAO Yanwei;To address the limitations of traditional rain gauge networks, such as extensive monitoring blind spots and insufficient spatiotemporal resolution, in mountain flood prevention, this study develops a highprecision rainfall retrieval model based on X-band dual-polarization hydrological radar using observational data from four radars in Hunan Province. Combining traditional empirical modeling with machine learning techniques, a multi-parameter joint retrieval approach was established. In the empirical models, relationships between reflectivity(ZH), specific differential phase(KDP), and differential reflectivity(ZDR) and rainfall intensity were constructed to estimate precipitation. The machine learning models applied algorithms including k-nearest neighbor(KNN), support vector regression(SVR), random forest(RF), artificial neural network(ANN), and recurrent neural network(RNN) for rainfall fitting. Results show that among the empirical models, the Z_H-R model performs best when rainfall intensity is below 10 mm/h, whereas the KDP-R model performs better when it exceeds 10 mm/h. Among the machine learning models, the RNN achieves the best performance, with a root mean square error(RMSE) of 3.125, a coefficient of determination(R2) of 0.981, and a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.992, outperforming both other machine learning and empirical models. The integration of X-band radar with multi-parameter correction and machine learning techniques significantly enhances rainfall retrieval accuracy, providing more reliable data support for the “three defense lines” system in mountain flood disaster prevention.
An analysis of the scientific connotation and construction path of ecological dams
WANG Jianhua;ZHANG Yunchang;HU Peng;For a long time, the construction of dams has involved contradictions and trade-offs between socioeconomic benefits and ecological impacts, which has triggered discussions and debates in related fields.In the new historical period, guided by Xi Jinping's thought on ecological civilization, the Ministry of Water Resources has proposed the construction of “ecological dams” as a strategic response and innovative practice to this fundamental issue. Although many studies and practices have been carried out on the ecological and environmental effects of dams and corresponding mitigation measures, comprehensive and systematic analyses of the scientific connotation of ecological dams are still limited, and specific construction pathways remain unclear. From the two aspects of controllable ecological impacts and the realization of ecological benefits, the basic concept and scientific connotation of ecological dams are proposed. Based on the whole life cycle of dams, including planning, design, construction, impoundment, and operation and maintenance, the key points of ecological dam construction are analyzed, including that planning and design should minimize ecological risks, ecological impacts during construction and impoundment should be controllable, and operation and management should maintain the ecological health of both reservoirs and downstream rivers. Furthermore,the establishment of monitoring and evaluation systems and technical standards is suggested as a pathway to promote the construction of ecological dams at the present stage.
Overall framework and countermeasures for safeguarding water security in the Yellow River basin during The 15th Five-Year Plan period
ZU Leiming;The Yellow River, known as the mother river of the Chinese nation, serves as an important benchmark for the governance of major rivers, a vital ecological security barrier, a key pilot zone for highquality development, and a crucial area for preserving and promoting Chinese culture. This paper summarizes the implementation achievements of the water security plan during the 14th Five-Year Plan period in the Yellow River basin and analyzes the challenges faced in Yellow River protection and management during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, including the urgent need to enhance flood and sediment regulation capacity and improve the basin flood control engineering system; the long-term tight balance between water supply and demand; the need to strengthen water conservation and intensive utilization; the still unstable results of water ecological protection and restoration; the incomplete Digital Twin Yellow River system; and the continued need to improve water governance mechanisms, institutions, and legal management. In line with the strategic arrangements proposed in the “Proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development”, and focusing on the goal of “promoting high-quality development of water conservancy to ensure national water security”, this paper puts forward countermeasures for improving the three major systems for basin flood and drought disaster prevention, strengthening the systems for water conservation, intensive utilization, and optimal allocation,enhancing the system for water ecological protection and restoration, and comprehensively improving scientific and technological innovation as well as basin governance and management capacities.
Challenges and technological innovation requirements for building safe dams in China
WANG Xiaogang;ZHENG Cuiying;China has a large number of reservoir dams, and their safety constitutes an important component of the national water security strategy. In the context of frequent extreme hydrological events induced by global climate change, increasingly complex environmental conditions faced by dams, and the growing demand for effective risk prevention and quality development, Minister of Water Resources Li Guoying proposed the initiative of “building safe dams, ecological dams and smart dams” at the 28th ICOLD Congress. To further deepen the understanding of “safe dams”, this paper outlines the current status of dam construction and overall dam safety in China. By comparing the traditional concept of dam safety with the requirements of high-quality development in the new era, it clarifies the connotation of constructing safe dams and analyzes the main challenges currently faced, including the safety risks of medium and low-earth-rockfill dams under climate change, the safety risks of high dams under complex construction conditions, and the basin system safety risks arising from cascade development. The paper emphasizes that building safe dams depends on technological innovation, elaborates on technological progress achieved in enhancing the intrinsic safety of small and medium-sized reservoir dams, ensuring the safety of ultra-high dams, and constructing smart dams, and proposes further needs for scientific and technological innovation and technical advancement in related fields.These efforts aim to support the construction of safe dams and the establishment of a comprehensive dam safety assurance system.
Trend analysis of water quality changes and countermeasures at the Taocha Canal Head
LIU Lianbing;LI Fei;As the “water tap” of the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the water quality at the Taocha Canal Head is directly related to the water and ecological security of hundreds of millions of people in North China. Currently, the water quality at the Taocha Canal Head is generally excellent,though fluctuations in its classification still occur. Analysis of monitoring data from 2017 to 2024 for the Danjiangkou Reservoir and the Taocha Canal Head section shows that the water quality at the Taocha Canal Head has remained at Class I(evaluated according to river water quality standards), while indicators such as total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, and permanganate index occasionally exceed Class I standards. Total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, and permanganate index are the key indicators affecting the water quality classification at the Taocha Canal Head section, whereas inflow discharge, water level, and water temperature are the main environmental factors driving water quality variations. In addition, algal proliferation and local hydrodynamic conditions may intensify water quality fluctuations. Based on these findings, management measures are proposed, including optimizing the water quality and quantity monitoring system, strengthening the application of the Digital Twin Hanjiang River, enhancing comprehensive basin risk control, and deepening studies on water quality evolution. These measures provide a scientific basis and practical reference for maintaining excellent water quality at the Taocha Canal Head section and strengthening water quality security in the water source area of the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.
Study on enhancing the resilience of water conservancy projects driven by institutions and technology
CHAI Jixuan;As key infrastructure for ensuring water security and coping with extreme climate events and natural disasters, the resilience level of water conservancy projects is directly related to regional ecological security and socio-economic stability. At present, either institutional improvement or technological upgrading alone can no longer meet the demand for resilience enhancement under complex conditions, thus, institutional and technological dual drives have become an important approach to address this challenge. In the process of improving the resilience of water conservancy projects, institutions provide the regulatory foundation for resilience enhancement by guiding direction, allocating resources, and setting norms for technological application, while technology serves as the instrumental support by offering data assurance, efficiency improvement, and innovation momentum for institutional implementation. The two mutually reinforce and dynamically interact. Based on existing research, this study defines the core connotation of resilience in water conservancy projects and reviews the current development of institutional and technological approaches.Technologically, resilience improvement has evolved from passive monitoring to intelligent early warning but remains fragmented; institutionally, the focus has expanded from risk prevention to systematic governance but still lags behind technological progress. Insufficient coordination between the two leads to a noticeable “disconnection”. Therefore, this paper further analyzes the interaction mechanism between institutions and technology, constructs a dual-driven practical framework, and proposes collaborative optimization strategies such as establishing a cross-departmental governance system, promoting both independent innovation and cost optimization, and strengthening dual mechanisms of incentives and constraints. These efforts aim to provide theoretical reference and practical guidance for enhancing the resilience of water conservancy projects.
Flood control security strategies and reflections for the Dongjiang River basin
LI Liang;CHEN Wenlong;A flood control project system composed of the Xinfengjiang Reservoir, Fengshuba Reservoir, Baipenzhu Reservoir, and mainstem levees has been established in the Dongjiang River basin, with its flood control capacity improving year by year. However, due to the impacts of global climate change, rainstorms and floods in the basin have become increasingly sudden, extreme, and abnormal, with disasters that break historical records and challenge conventional understanding occurring frequently. Flood control in the Dongjiang River basin still faces several challenges: in terms of flood control project construction, the potential of the flood control system has not been fully tapped due to constraints such as temporary inundation in the three major reservoir areas and uneven riverbed incision along the mainstem; in terms of flood regulation, there is a lack of precise technological support; in terms of unified basin-wide scheduling, some management mechanisms for water projects remain to be improved. In response to these issues, this paper proposes countermeasures from three aspects: strengthening integrated basin governance and unlocking the potential of flood control projects; improving forecasting accuracy and enhancing intelligent dispatching support; and unifying dispatch management and improving related mechanisms. These strategies are intended to provide a reference for gradually enhancing flood control capacity in the Dongjiang River basin and meeting flood control demands under extreme weather conditions.
Concepts and approaches of the happy rivers and lakes initiative from the perspective of river and lake protection and governance in the new era
TONG Xuewei;LI Aihua;XU Wei;The happy rivers and lakes initiative represents an innovative water governance concept with Chinese characteristics. At present, the initiative has progressed from the pilot and demonstration-led Stage 1.0 to the Stage 2.0 characterized by systematic planning and comprehensive implementation. From the perspective of river and lake protection and governance in the new era, this paper further interprets the essential connotations of happy rivers and lakes. It argues that: first, happy rivers and lakes have dual attributes, embodying both the “happiness”of rivers and lakes themselves and the happiness they bring to people; second, they are relative, emphasizing psychological experience and subjective perception; third, they are developmental, as “happiness” evolves along with the changing relationship between humans and rivers and lakes, showing an overall upward trend in tandem with socio-economic progress. In the stage of ecological civilization, the ultimate goal of happy rivers and lakes is the mutual pursuit and harmonious coexistence between humans and water bodies. Accordingly, the strategic principles for advancing the initiative comprehensively are elaborated: fully leverage the river and lake chief system to promote coordinated action nationwide; adhere to integrated planning at both macro and regional levels;emphasize top-level design with both long-term vision and phased implementation; focus on excellence through a combination of large-scale and small-scale projects; inherit and promote cultural traditions to balance the past and present; prioritize institutional mechanisms by combining structural and non-structural measures; and ensure joint efforts between central and local governments to form collaborative synergy.
Driving the development of dam engineering technology with the concept of smart dams
LIU Yi;ZHOU Qiujing;ZHAO Yuntian;China is a major country in dam engineering construction. Under the background of intensified global climate change and increasing human activities, ensuring the long-term safety and sustainable and efficient operation of dams has become a major challenge. Building smart dams is a key initiative to address risks, adapt to the changing times, and foster new development momentum. The rapid advancement of new-generation information technologies provides both opportunities and conditions for the innovation and development of concepts, methods, and technologies for smart dams. This paper elaborates on the needs for constructing smart dams from three perspectives: ensuring high-level safety, maximizing benefit performance, and developing new quality productive forces in water conservancy. The definition of smart dams is explained across six dimensions: time, space, physics, objectives, characteristics, and hierarchy. A framework system comprising five subsystems is constructed: the engineering physical system, engineering perception system, analysis and diagnosis system, decision-making and control system, and information network system. The main functions of smart dams are identified as comprehensive perception, intelligent analysis, autonomous feedback and control,and self-learning, all of which contribute to further improving dam safety and enhancing overall benefits. Based on development stages and according to the levels of perception, analysis, and control, a five-level classification standard is proposed, providing conceptual and technical support for smart dam construction.
Progress, challenges, and countermeasures of operation and dispatching technologies for the Jinsha River Downstream-Three Gorges Cascade Hydropower Corridor
LIU Weiping;LIU Haibo;The six reservoir hydropower stations of Wudongde, Baihetan, Xiluodu, Xiangjiaba, Three Gorges, and Gezhouba are distributed successively along the mainstream of the Yangtze River, forming a cascade that constitutes the world's largest clean energy corridor: the Jinsha River Downstream-Three Gorges Cascade Hydropower Corridor. From the perspective of systems science, this paper first reveals the essence of the corridor as an open, complex, and large-scale system, deconstructing its core components, including the engineering, natural, and social subsystems, and explaining its typical characteristics such as external randomness, structural complexity, and functional diversity. Second, focusing on the “large systems” of the water resources, power, and ecological domains, it defines the corridor's major functional roles as the backbone of flood control and safety, the cornerstone of energy supply security, and the main force in ecological protection, and elaborates on its comprehensive benefits for “overall safety”. Finally, from the three dimensions of monitoring and perception, forecasting and prediction, and operation and scheduling, the paper reviews key technologies in the operation and dispatching of the corridor, analyzes the main technical challenges under new circumstances, and proposes corresponding countermeasures. The study provides a reference for promoting the high-quality development of the Jinsha River Downstream-Three Gorges Cascade Hydropower Corridor and for supporting national water, energy, and ecological security at a higher level, across broader fields, and on a larger scale.