Taihu Lake

Sung by Chinese poets, the great Taihu Lake attracts and enchants millions of tourists every year. It is also an important vital condition and a source of drinking water for forty million residents of the surrounding cities.

The basin of the lake was formed about 70 million years ago as a result of a meteorite impact. However, it did not fill up immediately — for a long time there was land on the site of today's reservoir, and only then the depression was filled with ocean water. Much later, the border of the East China Sea retreated from the basin by almost 100 kilometers, and the lake was gradually desalinated by the waters of the rivers flowing into it.

The area is about 2,250 km2.
The length is 68 km.
The width is 30 km.
The maximum depth is 12 m (in high water season).
The average depth is 1.9 m, which makes it relatively shallow.
The volume of water is 4.3 km3.

In terms of size, this reservoir is one of the three great Chinese lakes, giving way to Poyanghu and Dongting.

From space, Taihu looks like a waning moon — its southwestern and northwestern coasts have an almost perfect semicircle shape, and the eastern part is dotted with capes and protrudes deep into the lake, slightly breaking the circle. There are 90 islands visible on the surface of the "moon", which are a special attraction of Taihu. Due to the land areas scattered around the lake, this place acquires a surprisingly picturesque appearance. Limestone cliffs are found among the green islands. For centuries, lake waters have given their surfaces bizarre shapes, creating unique drawings. The rocks are a source of inspiration for meditation enthusiasts and a supplier of materials for rock garden creators.

One of the most visited islands of Taihu is Dongting, the birthplace and almost the only gathering place of the famous Chinese tea Bi Lo Chun. Connoisseurs appreciate this variety for its unique taste qualities and rich aroma, which are most vividly revealed here on the island. The drink on the island is served in teapots made of Yixing clay. The tableware that allows the infusion to "breathe" is made very close, in the city of Yixing, a famous deposit of unique clay. In Yixing clay teapots, the "emerald spirals of spring" (this is how the name Bi Lo Chun tea translates) are brewed in the best way.

There are many settlements around Taihu, including large cities. And this cannot affect the ecological condition of the reservoir.

The water in the lake, which supplies about 30 million people with drinking water, may very soon become unsuitable for humans. Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are killing Lake Taihu. The annual "blooming" associated with the reproduction of cyanobacteria has become a traditional disaster for this reservoir. In general, blue—green algae are the main supplier of oxygen to our atmosphere. But the species that has taken root in Taihu, in the process of vital activity, secretes neurotoxins and hepatotoxins that destroy the liver and nervous system of those who use lake water for food. And these are no less than residents of 38 large cities located in the vicinity of the great Chinese reservoir. Blue-green algae, among other things, also displace all other microorganisms from the ecosystem, including beneficial types of phytoplankton.

The government of the Celestial Empire, sparing no effort and means, is trying to prevent an environmental catastrophe that has already announced its proximity once. In May 2007, the coastal city of Wuxi was left without drinking water for a week due to cyanobacteria contamination of the water supply system. About 2 million people were affected then. In subsequent years, the Chinese authorities hastily curtailed the activities of most industrial enterprises located near the lake, because it is known that the main delicacy of bacteria are phosphates and nitrates, which enter the lake, including with untreated wastewater. In addition, the authorities of Jiangsu Province are excavating nutrient-contaminated soil in the estuaries of rivers flowing into the lake. And modern sewage treatment plants were built on the rivers themselves. It is planned that coastal cities will soon change their profile, shifting their specialization from the chemical industry to Internet technologies or renewable energy sources.

As a result of the incredible efforts of the Chinese people, the water quality in Taihu stopped deteriorating, and environmentalists noted a decrease in the concentration of phosphates and nitrates in lake waters. However, the reservoir is still far from complete rehabilitation.

Currently, a significant part of the lake shore is occupied by agricultural lands, the runoff from which falls into the Taiga and increases the nitrogen and phosphorus content in the coastal waters. In addition, according to scientists, a large proportion of nutrients still enter the lake from the atmosphere – they are brought by exhaust gases. Therefore, the Chinese, who are saving the lake, face another serious task: the transfer of highways at least a kilometer from the shore. Parks and gardens are planned to be laid out in a kind of buffer zone, and wetlands are planned to be created.

The successful experience of Chinese scientists and officials can be used to restore the ecosphere of "blooming" lakes around the world.