The Sanjiangyuan Region: Protecting China’s “Water Tower”

By Qiao Dong, Cao Jiwei, People’s Daily
Nestled in northwest China’s Qinghai province, the Sanjiangyuan area – often called the “Water Tower of China” – derives much of its water from glacial sources. Among these, the Amne Machin peak in the Golog Tibetan autonomous prefecture encompasses over 120 square kilometers of glaciers. These ice formations supply approximately 35% of the water for the upper reaches of the Yellow River, China’s second-longest river, forming an indispensable ecological barrier for the region.
In recent years, the water conservation capacity of this vital “Water Tower” has steadily improved, with the ecological restoration of Amne Machin serving as a prime example.
Driving along the southern foothills of Amne Machin, the sight of sprawling glaciers inspires awe. Here, glacial melting and freezing cycles peak around May and November each year – critical periods when herders in Xueshan Township, Maqen County, conduct their glacier monitoring work.
After stepping out of the vehicle, I donned a felt hat and joined a team of herder-monitors trekking through the snow. Since 2008, local herders have voluntarily formed teams to measure the glacier’s snow line. At an altitude exceeding 4,500 meters, each step upward proved arduous. Emerging from the ridge mist, the team reached a monitoring point known as “Thousand Tents,” where last year’s red-painted markers remained visible. Working together, team members bent down with tape measures to calculate the distance between the glacier’s edge and the previous year’s marker.
Local authorities and residents have joined hands to protect this sacred mountain. In 2009, the snow mountain protection station of Maqen county’s natural resources and forestry and grassland bureau began glacier observation work, soon joined by research teams such as that of He Xiaobo from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Today, glacier monitoring employs increasingly comprehensive methods, combining satellite remote sensing, drone photogrammetry, modeling, and physical monitoring stakes.
Artificial precipitation enhancement and ice preservation have become vital conservation measures. In recent years, local meteorological departments have used catalysts to induce snowfall during suitable weather conditions. The protection station simultaneously monitors upstream and downstream glacier temperature, humidity, and snow depth to assess the effectiveness of these interventions. Practice has shown that such efforts extend snow cover duration in certain areas and effectively slow glacial melting.
During our hike, Geltsang, head of Maqen county’s forestry and grassland station, pointed across the mountain ridge. “That’s the Delni Copper Mine!” he said.On one side of Amne Machin’s midsection lies the mine, while its tailings pond occupies the other. Open-pit mining and tailings construction previously damaged meadows, eroded slopes, and degraded surrounding grasslands. “When the mine began operations in 2006, we didn’t fully grasp the environmental impact,” admitted Zhang Ming, a Delni Copper Mine staff member. “Now, for ecological restoration, we’ve even planted grass at an altitude of 4,430 meters!”
The ecological rehabilitation of the Delni mine prioritized grassland restoration. Facing a lack of soil, the project team innovatively utilized local serpentine rock, processing it into a composite soil suitable for grass growth. To overcome water scarcity, they adopted techniques inspired by terracing and checkerboard grass planting methods to retain soil and moisture. Through these combined efforts, the Delni copper mine successfully completed its major ecological restoration work last year.
Across Golog prefecture, significant progress has been made in restoring degraded grasslands, including areas known as “black soil patches,” covering over 5.16 million mu (approximately 344,000 hectares). Reviving this land was challenging. “Grass often needs to be sown multiple times before it takes root here,” explained Geltsang. The region’s high average elevation (above 4,200 meters), cold climate, and short growing season pose major difficulties. After extensive trials, local experts identified resilient grass species suitable for the area, such as Elymus nutans and Poa crymophila. Research indicates that compared to natural regeneration, enclosure protection combined with artificial reseeding can boost the carbon sink capacity of alpine meadows by approximately 30%.
Heading westward leads to Madoi county, renowned as the “County of a Thousand Lakes.” This area encompasses Gyaring and Ngoring lakes, critical sources of the Yellow River. Historically, overgrazing led to wetland degradation, causing half of the county’s more than 4,000 lakes to dry up. Thanks to sustained restoration efforts, the landscape has rebounded dramatically, with the number of lakes now exceeding 5,800.
Golog prefecture has advanced integrated restoration efforts targeting grasslands, river basins, and wetlands. Last year, Madoi and neighboring counties initiated a wetland connectivity project that restored 1,200 hectares of wetlands. This project is projected to increase water flow into the Yellow River’s tributaries by 15%. Over the past five years, Golog has restored 100,000 mu of wetlands, contributing to a more than 6% increase in the annual water conservation capacity within the Sanjiangyuan National Park. Water quality in the Yellow River’s Golog section consistently meets the highest national standard (Class I).
Over 10,000 ecological rangers patrol the prefecture’s lakes and wetlands. Among them is herder Dorje Gyaltsen, who monitors springs near Amne Machin peak. “I’ve witnessed springs dry up and then flow again,” he noted. Remarkably, 14 of the 27 springs within a 20-kilometer radius of the glacier, which had completely dried up in the past, have now been rejuvenated, contributing vital flow to the Yellow River’s headwaters.