On October 14th, 2023, in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, we explored the transformative journey of the “Ten Major Kondo” waterways, focusing on ecological preservation and the safeguarding of the Yellow River.
Zhang Yunfei, Deputy Director of the Water Resources Bureau in Dalate Banner, pointed to a sand table and explained, “At one point, the ‘Ten Major Kondo’ were like ten arrows of sediment, causing the riverbed of this section of the Yellow River to rise each year, resulting in a phenomenon known as a ‘hanging river’. During flood season, the river frequently overflows its banks, which has had severe implications for ecological and social safety in the Yellow River basin.”
Recently, the online theme event “A River’s Grandeur for Millennia” kicked off in Ordos, and our reporting team took the opportunity to visit Dalate Banner to witness firsthand the ecological metamorphosis of the “Ten Major Kondo” in the Yellow River basin.
Ordos City is situated in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, with the river flowing through 728 kilometers of its territory. The “Ten Major Kondo”—a term in Mongolian meaning “flood gully”—are primary tributaries of the Yellow River, located entirely within Dalate Banner, contributing around 27.11 million tons of sediment annually, which accounts for more than one-tenth of the total sediment entering the Yellow River nationwide.
A local saying in Dalate Banner goes, “Five beams and three sands with two plots of beach, Southern mountains with sand, Northern plains.” The “Ten Major Kondo,” arranged from east to west, flow through hilly areas, sandy zones, and plains directly into the Yellow River, resulting in a fragile ecological environment characterized by numerous gullies and scarce water resources.
“Among these, the West Liugou is the most severely affected by flash floods. When a flood strikes, it not only devastates villagers’ arable land and livestock shelters but also sends enormous amounts of sediment into the Yellow River, leading to eight instances of blocking,” said Wang Lijun, Director of the Soil and Water Conservation Office of the Water Resources Bureau in Dalate Banner. Besides these primary tributaries, there are countless secondary and tertiary streams in Dalate Banner, which intertwine like a network of capillaries.
The reduction of sediment from the “Ten Major Kondo” into the Yellow River and the mitigation of river siltation are crucial strategies for managing the watershed upstream. In recent years, local authorities have employed diverse and tailored approaches for governance, diagnosing the issues of each gully and formulating targeted solutions, thereby implementing a “one gully, one strategy” management plan for the “Ten Major Kondo.”
In the upper hilly region, the community has implemented comprehensive soil and water conservation measures, including afforestation at hilltops (“putting on hats”), returning farmland to grazing land on slopes (“draping cloaks”), planting shrubs on hillsides (“tying belts”), and constructing dams in gullies to capture sediment (“wearing boots”).
“We identify small watersheds with severe gully erosion and good dam-building conditions for sediment-retaining dam construction, while also reinforcing and upgrading existing at-risk dams to minimize soil and water loss and ensure a healthy ecological environment at the source,” Zhang stated.
In the middle sandy region, Dalate Banner employs a strategy of “enclosing the south while blocking the north and cutting through the middle.” They have adopted a combination of planting trees, shrubs, and grass to carry out holistic management of the Kubuqi Desert.
“Artificial sand barriers have been constructed along the riverbanks along with protective afforestation to prevent sediment from entering the river. Suitable locations have been chosen for flood diversion projects, which can reduce sediment flowing into the Yellow River while enhancing farmland standards,” Zhang added.
In the lower plain region, new levee constructions have been initiated to improve the flood defense system, enhancing the resistance of existing levees, alongside starting flood storage projects to mitigate flood disasters while taking ecological replenishment into account, thus ensuring the safety of local residents.
Wang Lijun emphasized that the efficient and sustainable use of water resources remains a key aspect of the management efforts. “By reinforcing rigid restrictions on water resources, optimizing allocation, and increasing water-saving measures in agriculture and industry, we have advanced the sustainable utilization of water resources.” Thanks to several years of governance, Dalate Banner has overseen the management of 4,041 square kilometers of small watersheds, constructing a total of 350 sediment-retaining dams and initially establishing a three-dimensional defense system stretching from the mountains to the river’s bottom.
Miao Houyu, a resident of Heluotou Village in Shulin Zhao Town, remarked on the changes: “Previously, the area was riddled with gullies; one heavy rain would trigger flash floods. Now, we can engage in both livestock farming and crop cultivation, significantly improving the conditions for agricultural production.”
“From 2013 to 2022, the area affected by soil erosion decreased from 3,739.62 square kilometers to 3,479.19 square kilometers, with a soil conservation rate of 58.15%. The vegetation has recovered, and the ecological environment has improved,” Wang added.
With clear waters, smooth rivers, lush greenery, and prosperous communities, the comprehensive management of the “Ten Major Kondo” serves not only as a new model for soil and water conservation in the Yellow River basin but also embodies the vibrant picture of ecological protection and high-quality development in the region.
