The Workshop on Integrated Water Environment Management in the Light of Guoshoujing Innovative Spirit was organized by the Xingtai City Government of Hebei Province on September 6, 2011. On behalf of GWP China, Mr. Li Zhiqiang, Chair of GWP China Hebei and Mr. Wei Zhimin, Coordinator of GWP China Hebei were invited to attend the Workshop.
This Workshop is one of side-events of the Meeting in Memory of the 780th Anniversary of the Birth of Guo Shoujing (1231.-1316 A.D.) , who was born in Xingtai, Hebei Province and was a palmary water expert, astronomer, mathematician and also the inventor of Geodesy and astronomical instruments in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 A.D) and also named as one of the eight noted scientists in ancient China. Since he was well known for water resources management, using Yellow River Water for irrigation and the Grand Canal in Yuan Dynasty, the Xingtai City Government decided to organize this Meeting and the Workshop for all stakeholders to learn and develop innovative spirit in the field of water environment management in the name of Guoshoujing on purpose.
In the Workshop, Mr. Li and Mr. Wei joined the discussions and pointed out that the key of the water environment management was to make a master plan, complete earlier the South-to-North Water Diversion Project for the improvement of water environment, implement the IWRM concept to better the water environment and save water and control pollution for the sake of water environment. In this month, they were also invited to visit three agricultural and ecological-friendly parks located in Gaochen, Xingtang and Jingxing. They provided practical suggestions on improving ecological building and water and soil conservation after their on-site visits. In the interview by reporters from Beijing and Hebei Province, they voiced their opinions covering the topics of water resources changes of Haihe River Basin and precipitation and water storage of Hebei Province in the flood season of this year.