Shores of sustainability

Smart monitoring platform

Having worked in this field for nearly three decades, Zhu realizes that work pressure can mount as the frequency of monitoring increases, and additional onboard surveys are often needed when weather patterns alter. Their findings help to support more accurate and targeted policymaking decisions by the local government.

To further boost their data support, a smart monitoring and management information platform that integrates statistics from 13 government bodies, research institutes and technology companies has been set up.

Besides artificial monitoring, remote sensing and the use of drones to obtain aerial images, 265 other automatic monitoring facilities also provide real-time feedback on the water quality and quantity situation, says Li Yifeng, deputy director of the prefecture-level administrative bureau of Erhai Lake.

The smart platform provides data on the water quality of the lake and its upstream rivers, while serving as a surveillance system to catch illegal acts of pollution, and track sewage flows and treatment volumes.

The platform can predict hourly changes in the water quality three days in advance based on previous models of variations, which also helps to assess the effectiveness of prior work.

According to Li Yifeng, it cost 12 million yuan to complete the first phase of the platform aimed at integrating resources and sharing data, and an estimated further 25 million yuan will be invested on developing the second phase, which is under construction, and aims to streamline the way the platform operates and coordinate efforts between the different governmental bodies.

Chen Jian, the prefecture's Party secretary, says they have successfully managed to prevent the decline of the lake's water quality and stabilize it.

"Most importantly, structural changes have been seen in the ecological environment," Chen says, adding that it is encouraging to see the achievements of their systematic approach.

However, from his perspective, the water quality of the lake has far from reached sustainable levels, and substantial improvements in the ecosystem are yet to be realized. "There might be a long period of fluctuation. I think it's enough for us to ensure that the current measures will continue," Wang says.