Overview of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture—Environmental Protection (Part 1)
Chapter 13 Environmental Protection. Environmental protection work in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture began in the 1970s. In 1976, the Prefecture Environmental Health Monitoring Station was established, renamed the Environmental Protection Monitoring Station in 1977, and in the same year, the Prefecture Revolutionary Committee established an Environmental Protection Office. With economic and social development, especially rapid industrial growth, Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture's environmental...
This article has been compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · City Overview section). Some administrative divisions, population, socioeconomic data, and policy information may be outdated and are for reference only; for the latest situation, please refer to official releases by the local government and scenic areas.
Chapter 13 Environmental Protection
Environmental protection work in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture began in the 1970s. In 1976, the Prefecture Environmental Sanitation Monitoring Station was established, and in 1977 it was renamed the Environmental Protection Monitoring Station. In the same year, the Prefecture Revolutionary Committee established the Environmental Protection Office. With economic and social development, especially the rapid development of industry, environmental problems in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture became increasingly prominent. To meet the needs of the new situation, in 1983 the Prefecture Environmental Protection Office merged with the Prefecture Construction Committee to form the Prefecture Urban and Rural Construction and Environmental Protection Bureau, and in 1984 the Prefecture Environmental Protection Bureau was established separately. The CPC Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture Committee and the Prefecture People's Government conscientiously implemented the Scientific Outlook on Development, effectively strengthened ecological construction and environmental protection, vigorously implemented the conversion of cropland to forest, closed hillsides for afforestation, and rural energy construction, actively carried out pollution remediation, and cracked down on illegal pollutant-discharging enterprises in accordance with the law. The trend of worsening environmental pollution was curbed, and ecological quality continued to improve.
Section 1 Current Environmental Situation
I. Water Environment
Before the 1970s, the towns within Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture were small in scale and there were relatively few industrial enterprises, so the pollution level of river sections flowing through towns was light. Since the reform and opening up, with the acceleration of urban construction and industrialization, especially the increase in high-energy-consumption and high-pollution enterprises such as electrolytic manganese, lead-zinc flotation, and electrolytic zinc, the major river systems flowing through the prefecture have been polluted to varying degrees.
(1) Water Environment Quality of Major Rivers
Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture is controlled by two major river systems, the Yuan River and the Li River. Among them, the Yuan River controls a basin area of 14,215 square kilometers within the prefecture, accounting for 91.9% of the prefecture's total land area. Within the Yuan River system in the prefecture, 9 water environment quality monitoring control sections have been established, including 5 controlled by Hunan Province and 4 controlled by Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture.
During the "Tenth Five-Year Plan" period, the functional compliance rate of surface water control sections in the prefecture was 66.7%, generally showing light pollution. The water quality of the main stream of the You River was good: the control section at the Xiyang Group in Baojing County was Class II water quality, and the two control sections at Wanmipo Reservoir and Fengtan Reservoir were both Class III water quality. The water environment quality of the Mengdong River, a tributary of the You River, had always remained excellent, with the control section at the Bu'ermen Power Station in Yongshun County maintaining Class II water quality year-round. Pollution in the Guoli River, a tributary of the You River, showed a worsening trend, with the control section at the Baota Village ferry crossing in Longshan County being Class V water quality, with the main pollutants being chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen. Pollution in the Huayuan River, a tributary of the You River, was brought under control, but due to the impact of waste slag long deposited in the riverbed, the control section at Chuanxincheng on the Huayuan River was still Class V water quality, with the main pollution factors being manganese, cadmium, lead, and ammonia nitrogen. The water quality of the main stream of the Wu River and its tributary the Dong River gradually improved. Compared with the end of the "Ninth Five-Year Plan" period, the concentrations of major pollutants such as manganese, cadmium, lead, and zinc decreased, but due to the impact of waste slag long deposited in the riverbed, the control section upstream of Pushi in Luxi County, the control section at the Wu River confluence in Luxi County, and the control section at Hexi in Jishou City were still Class IV water quality.
(2) Environmental Quality of Urban Drinking Water Sources
The 8 counties and cities of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture have designated 9 urban domestic drinking water source protection areas, covering a river length of 174.2 kilometers and a reservoir water area of 3.8 square kilometers. Among them, the first-level protection areas cover a river length of 15.7 kilometers and a reservoir water area of 2.5 square kilometers, and the second-level protection areas cover a river length of 158.5 kilometers and a reservoir water area of 1.3 square kilometers. During the "Tenth Five-Year Plan" period, all counties and cities in the prefecture increased efforts to protect drinking water sources. The water quality compliance rate of water source areas rose from 80% in 2001 to 99.7% in 2005. Among them, the water source water quality compliance rate of the county seats of Huayuan, Baojing, Yongshun, Longshan, Luxi, Fenghuang, and Guzhang, as well as the No. 2 Water Plant of Jishou City, was 100%, and the water source water quality compliance rate of the No. 3 Water Plant of Jishou City was 96%.
II. Atmospheric Environment
Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture is located in a mountainous area, with closed terrain, a low temperature inversion layer, and poor atmospheric diffusion conditions. Air pollution varies with season and region, with pollution being heaviest in winter, followed by spring, summer, and autumn.
(1) Urban Air Environmental Quality
Urban air pollution mainly comes from waste gas emitted during industrial production, waste gas emitted by industrial and civil boilers and kilns, vehicle exhaust, and urban construction dust. The coal-based energy structure determines that urban air pollution in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture is a typical coal-smoke-type pollution, with the main pollutants being sulfur dioxide and suspended particulate matter.
During the "Tenth Five-Year Plan" period, the urban air environmental quality of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture was relatively stable. The comprehensive air quality level of the prefecture was Grade III, with air quality conditions lightly polluted, and the main pollutants were sulfur dioxide and total suspended particulate matter. Among them, the air quality of Jishou City and Baisha Town in Luxi County reached the national Grade II standard, with good air quality conditions; the air quality level of Qianling Town in Baojing County, Min'an Town in Longshan County, Lingxi Town in Yongshun County, Tuojiang Town in Fenghuang County, and Guyang Town in Guzhang County was Grade III, lightly polluted, with the exceeding pollutant being sulfur dioxide; the air quality level of Huayuan Town in Huayuan County was Grade III, moderately polluted, with the exceeding pollutants being sulfur dioxide and total suspended particulate matter.
(2) Acid Rain Pollution Situation
Precipitation with a pH value less than 5.6 is called acid rain. Jishou City is a county-level city in the national acid rain general survey. Sulfur dioxide emitted from industrial and domestic coal burning is the main cause of acidic precipitation in Jishou City, manifesting as typical sulfuric acid-type pollution. From 2001 to 2005, the precipitation pH values of Jishou City were 4.55, 4.41, 3.94, 4.40, and 4.59 respectively, and the acid rain frequencies were 77.5%, 91.7%, 97.6%, 87.6%, and 64.7% respectively. From 2001 to 2003, the acidity of precipitation pH values increased year by year, the acid rain frequency rose year by year, and acid rain pollution showed a worsening trend; from 2003 to 2005, through the treatment of coal-burning boilers and air pollution, the acidity of precipitation pH values weakened year by year, the acid rain frequency declined year by year, and acid rain pollution was gradually brought under control.
III. Urban Acoustic Environment
With urban development, the urban population and motor vehicles have increased substantially, and coupled with irrational urban layout, noise disturbance to residents has become one of the increasingly prominent environmental problems. From the perspective of the sound source structure affecting the urban acoustic environment, there are mainly traffic noise, construction noise, industrial noise, and social life noise. In terms of degree of harm, traffic noise is the most harmful sound source, and social life noise is the most widespread sound source.
(1) Urban Traffic Noise
During the "Tenth Five-Year Plan" period, with urban development and increased traffic flow, urban traffic noise showed a worsening trend. From 2001 to 2005, the average equivalent sound level of traffic noise in all counties and cities of the prefecture ranged from 60.1 to 75.7 decibels, and the proportion of road sections exceeding standards ranged from 15.1% to 80.3%. Among them, the traffic noise of Lingxi Town in Yongshun County, Baisha Town in Luxi County, Qianling Town in Baojing County, Tuojiang Town in Fenghuang County, and Guyang Town in Guzhang County was within the national control standards, and the acoustic environment quality was relatively good. The traffic noise of Jishou City, Huayuan Town in Huayuan County, and Min'an Town in Longshan County exceeded national standards.
(2) Urban Regional Environmental Noise
During the "Tenth Five-Year Plan" period, urban regional environmental noise in the prefecture was basically stable. The average equivalent sound level in all counties and cities ranged from 41.6 to 62.4 decibels, and the proportion of areas exceeding standards ranged from 12% to 97%. Among them, the urban regional noise of Qianling Town in Baojing County, Lingxi Town in Yongshun County, and Guyang Town in Guzhang County was within the national control standards, and the acoustic environment quality was good. The regional environmental noise of Jishou City, Baisha Town in Luxi County, Huayuan Town in Huayuan County, Tuojiang Town in Fenghuang County, and Min'an Town in Longshan County exceeded national standards and was classified as light pollution.