Flood Control in High-Risk Area of the Yangtze River Basin

The project aims to manage risks related to flooding and water pollution in the Kongmu River watershed, part of the larger Yangtze River Basin. The residents of Xinyu face flooding every year, which is expected to increase with climate change causing more precipitation in the region than the global average.

Xinyu is adopting an integrated approach to flood control and waste management that seeks to safeguard communities against warming temperatures and increased precipitation.

The project has a budget of $300 million, provided in part by an ADB loan.

A comprehensive strategy has been developed that focuses on increasing flood retention capacities, improving sanitation services for communities, and protecting Xinyu’s water supply. The project’s green planning approach will reduce pollution from stormwater and waste and will provide new green spaces for the public to enjoy.

A number of construction jobs will be created by the project, benefiting local communities.

The city will increase its resilience to flooding through rainwater interception and other stormwater management systems, and constructed wetlands will help treat runoff and improve water quality, while also acting as natural flood barriers. Water regulation structures, such as levees and interconnected storage lakes, and a wastewater collection network that operates separately from stormwater collection will also be established.

The demonstration and the river basin model can be replicated in other many similar-sized river basins, particularly where development is anticipated.