Nature-based Solutions for sustainable drinking water sources

Snapshot Solution

by Matthew Koehorst, International Union for Conservation of Nature

The Miyun Reservoir Watershed, located between Hebei Province and Beijing Municipality, supplies drinking water to over 11 million people in Beijing

Johnson Zhang

The Miyun Reservoir Watershed, located between Hebei Province and Beijing Municipality, supplies drinking water to over 11 million people in Beijing. It is the most important water source which stores water from the giant South-to-North Water Diversion Project. To safeguard the water quality of the reservoir, since 2013, IUCN has applied Nature-based Solutions upstream of the reservoir including forest landscape restoration with biodiversity conservation, the establishment of agroforestry and the riparian buffer zone, improvement of domestic sewage management, green infrastructure, and the establishment of an environmental education center.

By using natural infrastructure to deal with the water crisis, the project seeks to demonstrate ecological rehabilitation and protection of watersheds to ensure sustainable supplies of drinking water for Beijing. The project also analysed ecosystem functions and services, especially for water supply and purification, and developing strategies to guide landscape restoration.

Last update: 03 Feb 2023

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Context

Challenges addressed

Land and Forest degradation

Loss of Biodiversity

Conflicting uses / cumulative impacts

Ecosystem loss

Pollution (incl. eutrophication and litter)

Lack of public and decision maker’s awareness

Scale of implementation

Subnational

Ecosystems

River, stream

Wetland (swamp, marsh, peatland)

Area-wide development

Urban wetlands

Theme

Access and benefit sharing

Habitat fragmentation and degradation

Connectivity / transboundary conservation

Ecosystem services

Restoration

Sustainable financing

Infrastructure maintenance

Traditional knowledge

Urban planning

Watershed management

Outreach & communications

Nature-Based Solutions

Location

Fengning County, Hebei Province, People's Republic of China

East Asia

Impacts

By using natural infrastructure to deal with the water crisis, the project demonstrated ecological rehabilitation and protection of watersheds to ensure sustainable supplies of drinking water to China’s capital city.

It conducted mapping, assessment, risk evaluation, and strategic planning for the Miyun Reservoir watershed, according to ecosystem functions and services, based on the biophysical and socio-economic surveys and assessments. It implemented specific nature-based ecological restoration and non-pollution control measures in Miyun Reservoir watershed and undertook watershed health assessment and monitoring. Environmental awareness had also been raised among the local communities and the general public. The environment and ecology in pilot communities has been greatly improved.

The project also explored long term watershed management and financing mechanisms, including integrated watershed management, ecological compensation, and payment for ecosystem services.

Thanks to the project, nature-based solutions including ecological restoration and pollution reduction approaches in Miyun Reservoir Watershed demonstrated and measured improved water quality and aquatic ecology. The results have been shared with several government agencies and organizations to support further decision-making and project development.