China Expands Mother River Revitalization to 111 New Water Bodies
China’s Ministry of Water Resources has officially launched the second batch of its nationwide “Mother River” revitalization initiative, expanding the program to include an additional 111 rivers and lakes across 29 provinces and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. The announcement, made on May 30, 2026, through the newly issued Mother River Revitalization Action Plan (2026-2030), marks a significant escalation of what is already one of the world’s largest river restoration programs, as reported by CCTV News.
Context: A Program Born from Crisis
The Mother River Revitalization initiative was launched in 2022 to address severe ecological challenges facing China’s waterways, including river channel drying, lake shrinkage, groundwater over-extraction, and ecosystem degradation. The term “Mother River” (母亲河) in Chinese culture traditionally refers to major rivers like the Yellow River and Yangtze that have nurtured Chinese civilization, but has been expanded to encompass all significant water bodies serving as lifelines for local communities.
The first batch, covering 88 rivers and lakes from 2022 to 2025, achieved remarkable results. According to Vice Minister of Water Resources Chen Min, speaking at a press conference on October 22, 2025, “79 rivers have achieved full connectivity, and 9 lakes have effectively maintained their ecological water levels,” as documented by the State Council.
First Batch Achievements: Tangible Results
The first phase delivered measurable environmental gains. The West Liaohe River, which had been dry since 1998, achieved full flow for the first time in 27 years during spring and summer 2025. The Yongding River, after 26 years of斷流 (flow interruption), has maintained full connectivity for five consecutive years. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, dry for a century, has sustained full flow for four consecutive years.
Groundwater recovery has been equally significant. China Environment News reported that shallow groundwater levels in North China rose by 3.76 meters and deep groundwater by 7.65 meters between 2020 and 2025. Multiple historically dry springs have resumed flowing, including Shanxi’s Jinci Spring after 30 years and Baoding’s Yimu Spring after 60 years. Baiyangdian Lake, known as the “Pearl of North China,” has maintained ecological water levels for seven consecutive years.
The Second Batch: Scaling Up Ambition
The second batch brings the total number of targeted water bodies to 199, spanning nearly every province in China. The Action Plan sets a target year of 2030, aligning with the end of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period. The Ministry of Water Resources stated that under normal water conditions, seasonal rivers in the second batch should achieve full connectivity, perennial rivers should maintain year-round flow, and key lakes should sustain healthy ecological water levels.
As China Daily reported, Vice Minister Chen Min emphasized the program’s holistic approach: “The water table in the over-exploited groundwater area has halted its descent and begun to ascend. The restoration of the local ecological environment has been truly remarkable.”
Methodology: One River, One Policy
The program employs a “one river (lake), one policy” (一河一策/一湖一策) approach, creating tailored restoration plans for each water body. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, specific measures include ecological water restoration, optimized water resource dispatch, ecological water replenishment, water system connectivity, river channel remediation, habitat restoration, and groundwater over-extraction control.
The Ministry stated that it will “organize the formulation of ‘one river (lake), one policy’ plans, clarify annual revitalization targets and tasks, strengthen work scheduling and supervision guidance, and ensure that measures are implemented effectively.”
Analysis: Global Significance and Challenges
The expansion from 88 to 199 water bodies represents a major scaling-up of China’s water ecological restoration efforts, making it one of the largest programs of its kind globally. The initiative parallels international efforts such as the EU Water Framework Directive and US river restoration programs, but its scale is unprecedented.
However, significant challenges remain. Climate change-induced drought frequency may threaten restoration targets. Balancing ecological water needs with agricultural, industrial, and domestic demands will require careful management across 29 provinces. Ensuring compliance and maintaining funding for long-term ecosystem maintenance will test governance capacity.
What’s Next
The Ministry of Water Resources has indicated it will now work with provincial authorities to develop individual revitalization plans for each of the 111 newly included water bodies. The first batch’s achievements will continue to be monitored and consolidated, with particular attention to maintaining connectivity for rivers like the West Liaohe, Yongding, and the Grand Canal. By 2030, China aims to have fundamentally improved the ecological condition of all 199 targeted rivers and lakes, marking a milestone in the country’s broader ecological civilization framework.
Vice Minister Chen Min summed up the commitment: “We will work consistently to drive fundamental improvements in the appearance of rivers and lakes across the country.”