The Zhujiang River, known as the Pearl River in south China's Guangdong Province, is not a single river but the largest water system flowing into the South China Sea, formed by the branch-like convergence of the Xijiang Rivers, the Beijiang Rivers, and the Dongjiang Rivers. The Pearl River Delta of a dense network of cities, formed by alluvial sedimentation as the three rivers enter the sea, is one of the most economically advanced and modernized regions in China and is considered the "South Gate" of China.

In the past decades, with the process of urbanization and industrialization in the Pearl River Delta, some rivers have been seriously polluted due to domestic sewage and factory discharges, which impacts the lives of residents along the banks. Besides, the severe destruction of the marine ecological system and biodiversity decline is attributed to human-induced activities, such as over-exploitation of coastal and offshore waters.

To restore the population of the Chinese white dolphin, a first-class state protected species in China, several sand mines near its habitats have closed in past years. At present, there are about 5,700 dolphins in China, around 2,500 of them in the Pearl River mouth into the South China Sea, becoming the largest population of the species in the world. Activities that may cause direct and indirect effects on Chinese white dolphins are prohibited within the protected area. A type of underwater sonar is installed on buoys in the waters. When installed, the underwater sonar will automatically monitor the dolphins as they swim through the waters. With this new technology, researchers will be able to better observe and protect the species.

In addition to animal preservation, progress on water pollution has been made. Arsenic is one of the most toxic and abundant metals that is significantly influenced by anthropogenic sources (in particular mining) in the upstream sections of the Pearl River Basin. A series of measures have been enacted to decrease the arsenic concentrations in the rivers of the Pearl River Delta, such as systematic control of solid waste and wastewater containing arsenic, control of non-point source pollution, the establishment of pipe networks around lakes to intercept pollution, and improvement of the living environment in rural areas. According to the water quality monitoring results of state-controlled sections of surface water in the Pearl River Basin, 94.6% of state-controlled sections had excellent water quality in 2021, nearly 10 percentage points higher than the national average level.

Despite these achievements, more action plans will be carried out to comprehensively improve the ecological system and environment of the Pearl River Basin. By 2025, three beautiful bays of national demonstration value will be completed.

(All images via CFP)

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