A comprehensive conservation project of West Lake in east
China's Zhejiang Province, which started in 2002, has
enhanced the lake's features.
A glance at a corner in the
new lake area of the West Lake on September16.
The project focuses on protecting the ecological environment in
the lake through forestation and water quality improvement
programs. The Hangzhou government has also rebuilt and recovered
more than 100 historic and cultural sites in the area.
According to local government officials, the lake water is
changed each month and the sediment is dredged every two weeks in
order to keep the water clean and clear. Qiantang River, which
passes through Hangzhou City, serves as the source of the lake.
The West Lake district so far moved about 7,000 residents in
total and so that the amount of domestic sewage can be lowered.
The symbol of the historical and cultural city, West Lake is
known as "the Paradise on Earth", covering an area of 6.5 square
kilometers, about 0.9 square kilometers more than before the
project began five years ago.
As one of the "10 Most Beautiful Lakes" in China, the local
government is trying to have West Lake included on the World
Heritage List.
An egret is seen on the
water surface of the West Lake, September 16.
The Broken Bridge, a famous
site on the West Lake, where the first encounter of a legendary
couple occurred in a Chinese folklore The Legend of the White
Snake, is seen September 16.
(China Daily September 19, 2007)
