Water conservancy is the lifeblood of agriculture. Irrigation district projects form the backbone network for farmland irrigation and drainage and are the lifeline safeguarding food security. In recent years, Hengzhou City, following the overall tone of water conservancy reform and development of "shoring up shortcomings in water conservancy projects and strengthening supervision of the water conservancy sector," has comprehensively planned and implemented irrigation district supporting facility renovation projects, striving to open up the "last kilometer" of farmland irrigation and lay a solid foundation for advancing comprehensive rural revitalization.

Recently, at the construction site of the Liulan Irrigation District Renewal, Supporting Facilities and Modernization Renovation Project in Hengzhou City, the author observed excavators swinging their mechanical arms in accelerated operation, while builders busily and orderly worked at their respective posts, going all out to seize progress and ensure the schedule, presenting a bustling scene of construction activity.

It is reported that Liulan Reservoir is located in Liulan Village, Xiaoyi Town. The reservoir project was started on June 10, 1958, and completed in 1960, with a dam height of 42.0 m and a total storage capacity of 95.52 million cubic meters. It is the largest medium-sized reservoir in Hengzhou City and is mainly used for hydropower generation, farmland irrigation and drinking water sources, benefiting more than 40 village committees and over 210,000 people in four townships, namely Xiaoyi, Yunbiao, Maling and Hengzhou.

After years of operation, the relevant structures of Liulan Reservoir have certain shortcomings and weaknesses. To ensure the normal operation of the reservoir and the safety of water conservancy facilities, accelerate the remediation of shortcomings and weaknesses in the development of the irrigation district, and build a modern irrigation district featuring "complete facilities, high water-saving efficiency, scientific management and sound ecology," Hengzhou City secured more than 300 million yuan from the Ministry of Water Resources for the 2023-2025 project to build the Liulan Reservoir Irrigation District Supporting Facilities and Modernization Renovation Project, comprehensively renovating and upgrading the Liulan Reservoir Irrigation District. This will guarantee irrigation water for farmland production in four townships, further consolidate the coverage of Liulan Reservoir serving 18% of Hengzhou City's total cultivated land area, safeguard food production security and promote the development of modern agriculture.

The project has an estimated total investment of 382.53 million yuan and is divided into six bid sections for implementation. The main construction contents include: upgrading and renovating the Qingtong First-stage Electric Pumping Station and the Liuwei Second-stage Electric Pumping Station, and reinforcing the diversion dam around the stations; implementing channel renovation with a total length of 60.103 km; dredging the entire length of the channels; and implementing 10 drainage ditches in the Liulan Irrigation District with a total length of 5.247 km. At present, a total of 26.98 km of surface clearing, 4.5 km of dredging, 3.01 km of main canal bottom slab pouring, 3.07 km of retaining walls, and 2.9 km of flood discharge ditches and branch canals pouring have been completed.

"After the project is completed, it will restore 51,400 mu of irrigated area, improve 105,900 mu of irrigated area, and the effective irrigated area will reach 157,300 mu; the irrigation water use coefficient will increase from 0.498 to 0.625, with an annual water-saving capacity of 12.18 million cubic meters, an additional grain output of 7.55 million kg, and annual irrigation benefits of 17.6642 million yuan per year." Su Mingshan, head of the Rural Water Conservancy and Hydropower Section of the Hengzhou City Water Resources Bureau, introduced that after the completion of the Liulan Reservoir Irrigation District Supporting Facilities and Modernization Renovation Project, it will play a significant role in increasing channel conveyance capacity, expanding effective irrigated area, improving irrigation water use efficiency, reducing water conveyance losses, shortening irrigation cycles, increasing crop unit yields, and in the sustainable development and utilization of water resources, environmental protection and optimal allocation of water resources.

In the next step, Hengzhou will comprehensively accelerate the construction of the Liulan Irrigation District Renewal, Supporting Facilities and Water-saving Renovation Project, strengthen standardized and modern management of the irrigation district, enhance irrigation water supply guarantee capacity and water use efficiency, further safeguard food security and consolidate the water conservancy foundation for rural revitalization.