About

GWP’s VISION is a water secure world. Our MISSION is to advance governance and management of water resources for sustainable and equitable development.

OUR UNIQUE VALUE: GWP mobilises action on the global water crisis through a unique combination of social capital, shared values, credibility within the global water community, bottom-up orientation, and expertise. A network of networks, we ensure the ‘voices of water’ can inﬂuence local, national, regional, and global development priorities. We are committed to our role as a neutral convener and respected for our focus on inclusiveness and sustainability.

Learn

GWP creates and communicates information about integrated water resources management which contributes to improved water governance and, ultimately, water security.

Together with our Partners, we provide knowledge resources and capacity building activities for solving water problems.

Partner

Institutional Partners are the basis of GWP's multi-stakeholder partnership. A strong, diverse partnership can bring about the changes needed to achieve a water secure world. In this section, learn about the benefits of being a Partner and meet a few who already are. We invite like-minded organisations to join us!

GWP Regions

This is where you can find links to the websites of our Regional Water Partnerships (RWPs). RWPs are closest to the countries where we work. They share knowledge and learning across national boundaries and are expected to have an open, inclusive, and gender-sensitive policies for bringing together as wide a group of stakeholders as possible to solve water problems.

China: The Functional and Protective Mechanism of Gravity Irrigation System in Ziquejie Terrace (#483)

The Ziquejie Terrace is one of the three famous Chinese ancient terraces in Hunan Province. The crops cultivated in the terraces can manage to thrive through drought and flood without reservoir or other water storage constructions. This traditional primitive gravity irrigation system is a model for ecological construction of irrigation systems. However, the mechanism of Gravity Irrigation and water allocation within Ziquejie Terrace has not been well revealed, which to large extent affects the efficiency of environmental and ecological protection for this extraordinary natural reserve.

Actions taken

To better understand the mechanism of Gravity Irrigation and water resource allocation and provide the background for future systematic managements within the Ziquejie Terrace, large amounts of observational data were collected and processed. The nonlinear autonomic regulation theory and “the groundwater reservoir on the same slope position” theory have been applied to model the water supply-demand balance model for groundwater irrigation.

Based on the knowledge gained from the model and the local features of planning, history and culture, functional zoning for Ziquejie Terrace is proposed. A broad consultation process culminated in adoption of protective regulations and measures applied in functional zones.

Achievement

The results have been implemented in “The Planning Report of the Water Conservancy Project of Ziquejie Terrace Scenic Spot” and “The Implementation Plan of 2012 Waterwheel Project of Xinhua County”.
The results have been adopted by local government for preparing the application of World Heritage of Irrigation Projects.
The results have also been implemented by the local tourism department as the technical support for sustainable utilization and tourism development of Ziquejie Terrace.

Lessons learned

The gravity irrigation mechanism of Ziquejie Terrace has been proven correctly.
The protection strategy and measures of functional zones are relevant and have been promoted among local farmers.
The outcomes serve as the technical support for the sustainable development
The land protection and nature protection measures were linked through wise use of water resources.

Photo credit: Farmland and houses in the Hunan province in China, by Jess Yu/MostPhotos.com

Page last edited: 3/17/2017