Xinhua News Agency: Dali Praised by State Council for Achievements in the Protection and Management of Erhai Lake

      To achieve “clean water cycle in healthy water ecosystems”, Dali Prefecture has made decisive efforts to fight the eight battles in accordance with the principle of “interception, controlling, demolition, regulation, landscaping, replenishment, renovation and management”. In the “interception battle”, Dali sped up equipment commissioning and examination during interception and pollution control, and developed proper WWTP tailwater solutions, to ensure that interception is completed before January 1 next year. In the “ecological relocation battle”, Dali accelerated the establishment of ecological blue, green and red lines; ecological relocation; and the high-level construction of “characteristic towns by demolishing 1806 non-compliant buildings” and a 20 km ecological road around the Erhai Lake, so that annual tasks can be completed. In the “agricultural non-point source pollution control battle”, Dali focused on “Three Prohibitions and Four Promotions”, that is, to prohibit the sale and use of phosphorus-containing fertilizers and high-toxic and high-residue pesticides, prohibit the cultivation of water and fertilizer consuming crops such as garlic, promote the replacement of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers, promote eco-friendly prevention and control of pests and diseases, promote eco-friendly cultivation of crops, and promote eco-friendly and standardized fishing and breeding in the Erhai Lake watershed, which is an important step towards the goal of removing farming and breeding out of the Erhai Lake watershed. In the “river management battle”, Dali greatly promoted the River Chief Mechanism to eradicate illegal occupation, mining, dumping, and construction in the Erhai Lake watershed. In the “mining management battle”, Dali cracked down on illegal mining and private excavation, and sped up the vegetation restoration of non-coal mines. In the “lakeside ecological restoration battle”, Dali accelerated lake capacity expansion, wetland creation, afforestation of mountains to the east of the lake, restoration of aquatic plants, and integrated urban-rural water supply, continuously improving the environment of the Erhai Lake watershed. In the “water quality improvement battle”, Dali accelerated the preliminary engineering work of Taoyuan Reservoir, developed a comprehensive Erhai Lake water replenishment plan, scientifically allocated water resources in the watershed, and sped up legislative process and technological development related to lake protection. In the “overdevelopment control battle”, Dali further advanced the restoration and mamnagement of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands; and actively promoted green living and production to achieve a revolutionary change of lifestyle in the Erhai Lake watershed. Within the rigid constraints of lake water quality and carrying capacity, Dali will continue to optimize the regional production, living and ecological space layout of “1 city + 6 counties” with the Erhai Lake watershed as the core, creating a new green development model in the lake watershed.  

       The Erhai Lake recorded the focuses of Dali in its different development stages: from the rural production team model shown in film Five Golden Flowers, to today’s decisive abandonment of the cultivation of high-yielding crops for environmental protection; from lake-based land reclamation and cage fish farming, to wetland creation and banning fishing; from lake protection the 1990s, to lake watershed management in 2003, and to today’s comprehensive management of “mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands” across the city; and from watershed space control, industrial structure adjustment and pollution control, to today’s ecological management through the citywide promotion of green living. 　　

　　For todays’ Dali, it is no longer difficult to make a choice between economic development and environmental protection. In the two years alone since the start of the 13th Five-Year Plan, its investment in the management of the Erhai Lake has exceeded its total previous investment. 
　　The China National Environmental Monitoring Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment released on November 19 that in November, the cross section water quality in the middle of Erhai Lake achieved Surface water Quality Standard Class II. Also, data provided by the Dali Environmental Monitoring Station show that the overall water quality of the Erhai Lake in November fell into Class II. This is the first time that the overall water quality of the Erhai Lake in November reached Class II since 2015.  

       These achievements reflect the determination and efforts of local government as well as people of various ethnic groups to protect the environment, building a beautiful home. Dali still has a long way to go in the protection and management of the Erhai Lake. The praise in public from the State Council will inspire Dali to be more industrious and persistent on the path of environmental protection.