Satellite imagery captures China's progress in river basin management. Through targeted measures, including shoreline restoration, wetland protection and pollution control, degraded waterways are being revived and reshaped into functioning ecological corridors, helping safeguard regional ecosystems.

Case 1 (Yongtai)

Known as the "back garden" of Fuzhou, Yongtai County has advanced afforestation, shoreline restoration, and broader ecological rehabilitation.

In the Dazhangxi River basin, satellite imagery shows that factories and structures that once encroached on the riverbanks have been cleared. Former stretches of hardened surfaces and industrial land have been systematically removed from the river corridor, allowing the banks to return to a more natural and balanced state.

Case 2 (Wuzhong)

Satellite images of the riverbank in 2020 and 2025 show how much the ecological environment has improved. Human activities have been withdrawn from river beaches, providing more space for natural vegetation to recover and grow.

Case 3 (Dongying)

Satellite images of the wetland in 2020 and 2025 show its transformation. Nourished by the Yellow River, the wetland has been restored, providing a broader and better habitat for birds.

Case 4 (Fenhe River basin)

Yonghe County in north China's Shanxi Province lies within the Loess Plateau, characterized by rugged hills, deep gullies and a reliance on rain-fed agriculture. Satellite imagery shows that the landscape was once heavily dissected, with sparse vegetation and severe soil erosion.

Following comprehensive soil conservation measures on sloped farmland, runoff and sediment loss have been effectively controlled. Its transformation is aptly captured in the local description, "No water flowing down the mountain and no mud flowing out of the gully." These efforts have significantly improved both agricultural conditions and the broader living environment.

Case 5 (Guanting Reservoir basin)

Built in 1954, the Guanting Reservoir spans Beijing and Hebei Province and serves as a key flood control system for the capital region. Once under pressure from declining upstream inflows, land reclamation, and agricultural pollution, its water quality had become a major concern.

Satellite imagery shows that, following years of sustained pollution control and artificial wetland restoration, 35.4 square kilometers of wetlands had been restored by 2022. Today, measures such as ecological water replenishment and farmland-to-wetland conversion have delivered clear results, with inflow water quality stabilizing at Grade Ⅲ, revitalizing the reservoir's ecological function.

Case 6 (Yongding River)

The Yongding River, one of the seven major tributaries of the Haihe River Basin, is a vital water source and ecological corridor for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. After years of pressure from both human activity and natural factors, the river ran dry in 1996.

Satellite imagery highlights a dramatic turnaround. What appeared as a barren, desertified riverbed in 2013 has been reshaped through more than a decade of targeted restoration. With cross-basin ecological water diversion, the Yongding River now supports sustained flow, expanded habitats, and accessible waterfront spaces, transforming it from a dried channel into a functioning ecological corridor that supports aquatic life and migratory birds.

Case 7 (Wuhan section of the Yangtze River)

The Wuhan section of the Yangtze River serves as a key ecological buffer along China's longest waterway. Satellite imagery shows a clear transformation. Following the removal of illegal docks, the clearing of stockpiled sand and gravel, and targeted shoreline restoration, the once heavily industrialized riverbank has been reclaimed by vegetation.

Riparian coverage has increased significantly, supporting the gradual formation of a more continuous ecological corridor marked by improved water quality and greener riverbanks.