Manas National Wetland Park

Manas National Wetland Park

Manas National Wetland Park is a national AA-level tourist attraction and a national wetland park.

Manas National Wetland Park mainly consists of small reservoirs such as Jiahezi Reservoir, Dahazi Reservoir, Dawanzi Reservoir, and Xiaqiaosancun Reservoir, along with their surrounding water systems, and is the second largest wetland park in Xinjiang.

The wetland park extends north to the 14th Company of the 147th Regiment in the Manas River Gorge, northeast to the northern shore of Baitukeng Reservoir, south to the dam where the Toutouergong Canal meets the Ma River, west to the boundary between Manas and Shihezi City, and east to the eastern shore of Xinhuuping Reservoir. Its coordinates span from 86°04′10.46″E to 86°18′32.00″E longitude and 44°22′26.58″N to 44°31′10.65″N latitude, covering an area within the boundaries that stretch 28.62 kilometers from north to south and 21.40 kilometers from east to west.

Manas National Wetland Park is a national wetland reserve and a national AA-level scenic area. It mainly includes small reservoirs such as Jiahezi Reservoir, Dahazi Reservoir, Dawanzi Reservoir, and Xiaqiaosancun Reservoir, along with their surrounding water systems. The total planned protected area covers 82,920 mu, including: 45,840 mu of wetland in the ancient riverbed basin of the Manas River (with 15,000 mu of water area in Jiahezi Reservoir, 4,500 mu of fish ponds, 10,000 mu of secondary forest (tamarisk), 400 mu of poplar forest, 600 mu of artificially planted forest, and 15,340 mu of water plants); and 37,080 mu of wetland in the Liufu River basin (with 18,000 mu of water area in Dahazi Reservoir, 600 mu of fish ponds, and 18,480 mu of water plants). The wetland features vast water areas, extensive shoals, and numerous ponds, hosting a variety of waterfowl and plant species. With its beautiful natural landscape complemented by the cultural heritage of the Xiaolizhuang Farm, the area holds significant conservation value. Currently, we have commissioned the Planning and Design Institute of the National Forestry Administration to complete the "Overall Planning of Manas National Wetland Park in Xinjiang," aiming to effectively protect the Manas Wetland and improve the overall ecological environment of the region.

A large saltwater lake in the western Junggar Basin, along with surrounding salt marshes and meadows. Over the past 30 years, due to agricultural water diversion, the Manas River, which originates from the Harbil Mountain Range, has completely dried up, turning the lake area into barren salt flats and salt deserts. The groundwater level is relatively high, about 2 meters from the surface. The eastern and southern sides are covered by fixed and semi-fixed deserts (the Gurbantünggüt Desert).

Climate conditions: temperate arid climate, with an average annual temperature of 6°C and annual precipitation of 100–150 mm.

Main vegetation: reeds, tamarisk, etc. Most areas are dominated by desert plant communities such as saxaul.

Conservation measures: there is a 54,670-hectare saxaul nature reserve to the southwest, managed by the Xinjiang Forestry Department.

Economic and social value: abundant salt and groundwater resources.

Wetland birds: Xinjiang University once collected specimens of 19 species of waterbirds here, including the black stork and common crane. However, according to a survey conducted by Ma Ming and others near the mudflats of the Great Salt Pond in late May 1986, only warblers, white-throated warblers, desert birds, Pallas's sandgrouse, woodpeckers, and steppe eagles were recorded. It is said that migratory waterfowl no longer stop here during their migration.