Shawan Qianquan Lake National Wetland Park

Shawan Qianquan Lake National Wetland Park

Shawan Qianquan Lake National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Shawan Qianquan Lake National Wetland Park in Xinjiang is situated in the northwestern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on the southern edge of the Junggar Basin, at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, within the territory of Shanghedian Township, Shawan County. The geographical coordinates span from 85°46′26″ to 85°53′34″ east longitude and from 44°23′06″ to 44°25′28″ north latitude. It stretches approximately 4.12 km from north to south and about 9.10 km from east to west, covering a total area of 1,311.3 hectares. The wetland park and its surrounding areas enjoy convenient transportation, being approximately 24 km from Shawan County and 30 km from Shihezi City. In 2011, it was designated as a National Water Conservancy Scenic Area, and in March 2013, it was approved by the State Forestry Administration as a National Wetland Park (pilot).

The Shawan Qianquan Lake wetland lies within an oasis in a desert region. Originally formed by lakes created along springs, it earned its name due to the presence of over 3,000 springs scattered across the area. The springs flow year-round, and the lake water is clear and of high quality. The lake is surrounded by ring-shaped distributions of reed beds, secondary forests, and natural grasslands. Among these, the reed area covers 12,000 mu, the secondary forest spans 2,800 mu, and the natural grassland extends over more than 20,000 mu.

The Shawan Qianquan Lake wetland in Xinjiang is an oasis wetland located in an arid region. Formed by the convergence of groundwater springs, it represents a typical type of wetland—marsh wetland. As a result, Qianquan Lake has become a classic example of an oasis marsh wetland ecosystem. With springs flowing year-round, high water quality, and rich biodiversity, the wetland presents a striking contrast to the surrounding dry Gobi landscape.

The planned scenic area of the wetland park boasts abundant landscape resources, including Qianquan Lake, peatland, reservoirs, grasslands, birch forests, and tamarisk shrubs, all of which hold significant landscape value. Among these, the Qianquan Lake reed beds contain numerous springs, some as large as seventy to eighty square meters, interconnected in a network that has earned it the title of the “Baiyangdian of the West.”

The Qianquan Lake wetland provides a suitable habitat for tens of thousands of birds. A total of 68 bird species belonging to 29 families and 13 orders have been recorded in the planned area. Of these, 21 species are resident birds, accounting for 30.9% of the total; 24 are migratory species, making up 35.3%; and 23 are passage migrants, representing 33.8%. With its beautiful natural environment and abundant aquatic resources, Qianquan Lake Wetland has become a crucial stopover for migratory birds traveling between the north and south. During spring and autumn, thousands of birds such as whooper swans, grey cranes, and white-naped cranes migrate along this “route.” Statistics show that 17 protected bird species frequent the area, including the nationally second-class protected whooper swan, grey crane, white-naped crane, little egret, Siberian crane, wild goose, wild duck, and cormorant. The vast expanse of Qianquan Lake Wetland, with its lush water plants, naturally serves as an ideal “rest stop” where migratory birds can replenish their food supplies and restore their energy. It is also known as the “Bird Paradise.”

The bird population mainly consists of geese and ducks, such as the whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), spot-billed duck (A. poecilorhyncha), gadwall (A. strepera), ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), and common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). The primary wetland habitats where birds reside within the planned area include reservoir and pond surfaces, marshes, rivers, riverbanks, sandbars, and reed beds, while terrestrial habitats include tamarisk forests and poplar forests.

In January 2018, Shawan Qianquan Lake National Wetland Park passed its acceptance inspection and was officially named Shawan Qianquan Lake National Wetland Park by the State Forestry Administration.