Poyanghu Lake

Not far from the great Yangtze River in China, there is the equally great Poyanghu Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China. The two reservoirs are united by a small channel that regulates the river level and prevents its waters from rising too high.

The area is actively changing depending on the season. In the dry season (winter), the lake area is about 2,700 km2. During the rainy season (summer), the area can increase to 5,000 km2 or more.
The length is about 170 km (during the rainy season).
The width reaches 70 km (during the rainy season).
The average depth is 8.4 m.
The maximum depth is up to 25 m.

Poyanghu is jokingly compared by the population to a pump. When necessary, it "pumps out" excess water from the Yangtze, and when the river stops being full, the water returns back. On the one hand, this annual water exchange is the key to the diversity of the flora and fauna of the lake. But on the other hand, it worsens the environmental problems of Poyanghu, because, as you know, the Yangtze is not only the longest, but also one of the most polluted Chinese rivers. Almost half of the country's liquid wastewater ends up in the Yangtze or its tributaries. And this water enters the lake every spring.

Despite the vast expanse of coastline (the lake stretches for 120 kilometers in length and 17 kilometers in width), there are almost no large resort towns or industrial centers near Poyanghu. The shores of the reservoir are heavily swamped, overgrown with water lilies and reeds. This becomes especially noticeable in the winter season, when the water level drops sharply and a wide silty strip is exposed, and the lake itself temporarily becomes a real swamp. And in the spring, all these territories will be flooded again by the dirty waters of the Yangtze.

In summer, after the rainy season, the lake almost doubles in size: its area increases from 2,700 square kilometers to 4,500. By winter, the volume of water returns to its former limit. The newly opened coastline of Poyanghu serves as an excellent place for feeding and nesting of various birds. White cranes, which live in the northern territories of Russia and are listed in the IUCN Red Book, can also be found here. In total, about half a million birds stop in the Poyanghu wetlands.

A sanctuary for migratory birds has been established at the intersection of the tributaries of the Ganjiang, Xihe and Xiushui rivers. This is a paradise not only for the birds themselves, but also for birdwatchers and tourists. As the visitors of the reserve admit, watching birds of different sizes and colors, which feel complete freedom here, fascinates and makes them return to the shores of Poyanghu again and again. The largest flow of tourists occurs here in November, when flocks of birds from different parts of the world circle over the lake, looking for a place to winter. Visiting observers are usually accompanied by locals on boats — you can't expect more service here. However, it's better than making your own way along the rugged coastlines. After all, the lake is practically uninhabited.

It can be said that compared to other Chinese lakes, Poyanghu is untouched by civilization. And even tourism here is special, wild. Residents and guests of China come here who want to enjoy peace and quiet. The only thing that will mar the unity with nature is the heavy pollution of the reservoir. You won't even be able to try fish from the lake — since 2002, not a single fisherman has received a fishing license. It is forbidden even to travel on fishing boats on the lake. This is due not only to the fact that the resources of the reservoir have been greatly reduced, but also to the fact that individuals living in the lake can be toxic. It is the waters of the Yangtze River that bring with them toxic nutrients, oil stains and other impurities.

Own enterprises located along the perimeter of the lake contribute to the ecological imbalance in a different way. Their main focus is sand mining. This is the main type of economic activity that is developed in Poyanghu. Enterprises that select sand from the bottom reduce the sand layer from year to year, the task of which is to filter dirty water. In these places, the soil is exposed, the water becomes cloudy, with a suspended content. This prevents featherless porpoises from living, a kind of calling card of the lake.

Porpoises are cetacean mammals that live in warm coastal waters. Recently, they have been at risk of complete extinction, and since 2007, environmentalists have been closely monitoring their population.

In the murky waters of the lake, porpoises can't see well, so they have to rely only on their own sonar. At the same time, sonar capabilities very often fail these defenseless animals due to the fact that large vessels ply the lake - at least two vessels per minute cut through the lake surface. There is no way to do without shipping in this area. Poyanghu has many islands with small villages. In winter, the islands turn into hills, and in summer, Poyanghu becomes a real Venice. Its depth in the high-water season reaches 25 meters.

The Chinese take care of Poyanghu Lake as much as possible in a densely populated Celestial Empire. The government allocates a lot of money to save the ecological situation and clean up the Yangtze River, but it is very difficult to completely stop the pollution of the lake.