Canghe Water Conservancy Scenic Area in Weihui City

Canghe Water Conservancy Scenic Area in Weihui City

Canghe Water Conservancy Scenic Area in Weihui City is a national water conservancy scenic area.

Canghe Water Conservancy Scenic Area in Weihui City (95km) (Natural River & Lake Type) – Canghe National Water Conservancy Scenic Area is situated at the eastern foothills of the southern Taihang Mountains in northern Weihui City, Henan Province. It is 15 km south of downtown Weihui, 40 km from downtown Xinxiang, and 115 km from downtown Zhengzhou, the provincial capital. To the east, it is 3 km from Yunmeng Mountain Scenic Area in Qixian County, to the west 30 km from Baligou Scenic Area in Huixian City, and to the north 40 km from Hongqi Canal in Linzhou City. Provincial Highway S226 leads directly from Linzhou City to Yuanyang County, connecting with National Highway 107, Xinpu Road, the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway, the Jidong Expressway, and the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway—major transportation arteries—making its regional location highly advantageous with fast access and convenient travel and leisure options.

The Canghe River meanders through the Cangyu Grand Canyon. The Tagang Reservoir, Shipibao Reservoir, and Zhengmian Reservoir are three medium-sized key water control projects developed in a cascade along the Canghe. Stretching approximately 40 km from upstream of the Zhengmian Reservoir to downstream of the Tagang Reservoir, reaching areas such as Mayashan and Hutoushan, the scenic zone spans about 1.5 km in width and covers a touring area of 60 square kilometers. In September 2007, the Canghe Water Conservancy Scenic Area was designated as a national-level water conservancy scenic area by the Ministry of Water Resources.

The main scenic area extends 50 li through the canyon from the Tagang Reservoir to the Zhengmian Reservoir, with the Cangxi Stream winding eastward through the valley. The canyon features beautiful mountains, clear waters, picturesque scenery, and murmuring streams. The three water control hubs, all reinforced for safety, each possess unique characteristics and stand proudly over the Canghe. The peaks of the Cangyu Mountains rise majestically on both sides of the stream. Attractions such as Tagang Lake, Qiyu Mountain, Youth Cave, Public Servant Garden, the Ming-Qing Dynasty architectural complex of Xiaodianhe, the birthplace of Lin Jian, Bailong Lake, Paoma Ridge Ecological Park, Ape Cave, thousand-year-old ginkgo trees, and the Nine Dragons Karst Cave dot the canyon like brilliant pearls. Recreational activities including river drifting, self-driving tours, water-based leisure sightseeing, fruit picking, and barbecuing wild fish form another highlight of the area. Accommodation options such as Tagang Lake Hotel, Cangyu Mountain Villa, Public Servant Garden Villas, and Paoma Ridge Leisure Center cater to tourists of varying preferences, offering distinctive dining and lodging experiences. Here, visitors can indulge in green foods from nature, and the pollution-free wild fish and game are especially enticing and memorable.

The Canghe River is 60 km long with a drainage area of 303.6 square kilometers. Its average flow rate is 1 cubic meter per second, dropping below 0.5 cubic meters per second in dry seasons. During summer and autumn floods, the flow can surge to a maximum of 2,400 cubic meters per second. Located in the northwest of Weihui City, it was originally called Cangshui, named after Cangshan Mountain. In 1949, its name was changed to the homophonous “Canghe.” Commonly referred to as Shihé (Stone River), it is a seasonal river with intermittent flows. The river has two sources: one originates from Shiyanshui Village in Lin County, and the other from Hengling East in Huixian County. Upstream, the water volume is minimal, but it gradually increases after flowing eastward through Tuchi and Dong & Xi Shuanma. Passing through Luowan and downstream of Zhengmian Village, the flow intensifies after reaching Shipibao, then flows east out of the mountains at Tagangkou. Near Junzicun and Liuquan Zhuang, it splits into three branches, which converge respectively at Xiamaying, Yangzhuang, and Yantun before joining the Communist Canal. The river is 60 km in length, drains 303.6 square kilometers, has an average flow of 1 cubic meter per second, less than 0.5 cubic meters per second in dry seasons, and sees flood peaks of up to 2,400 cubic meters per second in summer and autumn. Since 1958, three medium-sized reservoirs—Zhengmian, Shipibao, and Tagang—have been built successively on the upper and middle reaches, each equipped with a hydroelectric power station at the dam back. These reservoirs help control flooding and prevent downstream water disasters, irrigating 84,000 mu of farmland and generating 3.26 million kWh of electricity annually. Seventeen bridges and aqueducts have also been constructed along the river.