Pingtian Lake Wetland Park

Pingtian Lake Wetland Park

Pingtian Lake Wetland Park is a national wetland park.

I. General Information

Pingtian Lake Wetland Park is located within Guichi District, Chizhou City, Anhui Province. It borders the Education Zone to the east, the Economic and Technological Development Zone to the north, the Station Front Zone to the south, and is closely connected to the main urban area to the west. Its geographical coordinates are: 117°29'28" to 117°34'20" east longitude and 30°37'31" to 30°41'59" north latitude.

According to the wetland classification system in the "Technical Regulations for National Wetland Resource Survey (Trial)," based on the results of the second wetland resource survey in Anhui, Pingtian Lake Wetland Park consists of four types of wetlands: lake wetlands, river wetlands, artificial wetlands, and marsh wetlands. There are six wetland subtypes in total: one subtype under lake wetlands—permanent freshwater lakes; one subtype under river wetlands—permanent rivers; three subtypes under artificial wetlands—aquaculture farms, artificial water conveyance channels, and reservoir ponds; and mainly herbaceous marshes under marsh wetlands. The total area of Pingtian Lake Wetland Park is 2,901 hectares, of which wetland area covers 2,083 hectares, accounting for 71.8% of the park’s total area, including 1,609.4 hectares of lake wetlands, 20 hectares of river wetlands, 352 hectares of marsh wetlands, and 101.6 hectares of artificial wetlands.

II. Flora and Fauna Resources

The vegetation belongs to the mountainous and hilly vegetation zone of southern Anhui, situated in the transition zone between evergreen broad-leaved forests and deciduous broad-leaved forests, where both evergreen and deciduous trees grow together. The forest vegetation is rich, with main plant families including Fagaceae, Lauraceae, Theaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Anacardiaceae, Illiciaceae, Meliaceae, and Rubiaceae. Over 20 species, such as the fragrant fruit tree, holly, and willow, are under national key protection. The favorable ecological environment provides a suitable habitat for wildlife reproduction. The area currently hosts 172 bird species from 40 families across 16 orders, 20 mammal species from 12 families across 7 orders, 6 amphibian species from 3 families across 1 order, 15 reptile species from 7 families across 2 orders, and 38 fish species from 14 families across 7 orders. In July 2011, a survey of plants in the Pingtian Lake water area wetlands (including along the riverbanks) identified 230 species from 175 genera across 70 families.

III. Hydrology and Climate

Pingtian Lake is located at the northern edge of the subtropical zone and has a warm, humid subtropical monsoon climate. The climate features mild temperatures, distinct monsoon seasons, abundant rainfall, simultaneous rain and heat periods, ample sunlight, and a long growing season for plants. Seasonal characteristics include: spring with variable temperatures and relatively high rainfall; summer hot and rainy with significant plum rain season; autumn dry and sunny with stable weather; and winter cold, dry, and with little rainfall.

Pingtian Lake receives an average annual sunshine duration of 1,730–2,100 hours. The annual average temperature is 16.1°C. The lowest monthly average temperature occurs in January, ranging from 3.1°C to 3.5°C, while the highest occurs in July, ranging from 27.9°C to 28.7°C. The average frost-free period lasts 220 days.

Pingtian Lake has abundant precipitation, with an annual total ranging between 1,400–1,590 millimeters, exceeding 1,000 millimeters in most years. There are noticeable regional differences, with more rainfall in the mountainous areas of the southeast and less in the low hilly plains along the river. Precipitation also varies with altitude—increasing by 60 millimeters for every 100-meter rise in elevation. Seasonal distribution of rainfall is uneven, with about 70% occurring in spring and summer, and less in autumn and winter.

The rivers around Pingtian Lake all originate from the Jiuhua Mountain Range and the Huangshan Mountain Range. The main rivers are Baisha River and Baojia River. The Baisha River originates at the foothills of Liufeng Mountain in Lishan, Guichi District, with a total length of 8.63 kilometers and a drainage area of 19.84 square kilometers. Its annual runoff is 14.72 million cubic meters, and the flood peak discharges for 20-year and 30-year return periods are 147.3 m³/s and 187.5 m³/s, respectively. The Baojia River, located on the western side of Pingtian Lake, originates from Baichong Reservoir in Lishan, Guichi District, with a total length of 7.93 kilometers and a drainage area of 14.2 square kilometers. Its annual runoff is 10.54 million cubic meters, and the flood peak discharges for 20-year and 30-year return periods are 96.7 m³/s and 75.7 m³/s, respectively. The high-water period generally occurs from April to August, while the low-water period is in winter. During flood season, when the Yangtze River water level is higher than that of Pingtian Lake, water can be pumped into the Yangtze via the Baisha Pumping Station. When the Yangtze water level is lower, water can be discharged naturally into the Yangtze through the Qingxi Sluice.

Pingtian Lake is mostly distributed across reclaimed areas on islets, with a long history of formation. The perennial water level is 12.8 meters, with the highest at 13.0 meters and the lowest at 12.5 meters. The water level remains stable year-round, providing ample water resources for agricultural irrigation and areas along the river.