Satellite images reveal ecosystem improvement in NW China's Qinghai lake

Qinghai Lake, China's largest inland saltwater lake, has experienced a significant increase in its water surface area over the past decade, showcasing remarkable achievements in ecological restoration in the region, as evidenced by satellite remote sensing data.

Located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, the lake is teeming with endemic carp and flocks of waterbirds, presenting a picturesque scene with its rippling sapphire waters and grazing livestock on surrounding grasslands.

This positive trend underscores the lake's crucial role in maintaining regional climate stability, safeguarding water resources and preventing land desertification.

According to the Qinghai Provincial Geological Survey Institute's Satellite Remote Sensing Center, as of June 2024, the water area of Qinghai Lake has reached 4,531.66 square kilometers, an increase of 198.41 square kilometers since 2014, with the lake's water area gradually stabilizing.

"The most notable changes can be seen at the mouth of the Buha River, the Shaliu River, and the Shadao Island," said Hou Yonghao, a technician at the center.

The monitoring data also revealed that the Bird Island, once a peninsula, has now become a fully detached island, with significant implications for the lake's ecosystem.

"This year's monitoring data shows that the number of the five major summer migratory birds on Bird Island has increased by nearly four times over the same period last year, and their habitats have also clearly expanded. Additionally, the numbers of some small wading birds, such as the black-winged stilt, black-tailed godwit, and common redshank, have also seen a noticeable increase over previous years," said Sun Jianqing, Deputy Director of the Natural Resources Asset Management Division of the Qinghai Lake Scenic Area Protection and Utilization Administration.

As an integral part of the high-altitude ecological system, the Qinghai Lake, together with the surrounding grasslands and mountains, forms a unique and complete ecological landscape that is irreplaceable for the overall ecological balance.

Years of continuous monitoring reveal that the wetland area of Qinghai Lake has expanded, high-density vegetation coverage has increased, and the areas of sandy, barren, and saline-alkali land have consistently decreased, highlighting the impressive ecological restoration of this vital water body.

(Cover: Qinghai Lake in Qinghai Province, northwest China. /CFP)