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This post was last edited by Sammy_Wang on 2017-1-24 08:51. In mid-2016, the construction of sponge cities across the country continued at full pace, with ** and various provincial-level pilot projects for sponge city development underway intensively. Last time, the editor introduced to you the first batch of pilot cities for sponge cities. So, what is the status of the 3-year construction plan and progress for the second batch of sponge cities? What are the sponge city construction projects? What is the progress of PPP projects in the development of sponge cities? 【Qingdao, Shandong】An integrated city of mountains and seas – a tourism and vacation city, an international port city, and a city with rich historical and cultural heritage. 1. The only city among the second batch of pilot cities to receive both initiatives related to sponge cities and underground utility tunnels. 2. It is a typical coastal hilly city where the urban area is integrated with the surrounding mountains and seas; rainfall is low and unevenly distributed in terms of both time and space, and there is a shortage of freshwater resources, making the construction of sponge cities imperative. 3. The city’s status has been elevated to that of an **important coastal central city and a seaside resort and tourism city, an international port city, and a city with rich historical and cultural heritage**; it is necessary to enhance the city’s ecological functions through the development of sponge cities. 【Ningbo, Zhejiang】A Water Town in the Jiangnan Region | A Port City 1. Ningbo is a typical water town in the Jiangnan region as well as a port city. The distribution of rainfall over time and space is uneven, with the majority of precipitation occurring during the plum rain season and typhoon seasons. Approximately 65.6% of the annual rainfall falls between May and September, and this region is often hit by typhoons and tropical storms during summer and autumn. 2. The terrain is mainly composed of mountains, hills, and plains; the central urban area has a low-lying landscape with a dense network of rivers, making it susceptible to saltwater intrusion. [Fujian, Fuzhou] Surrounded by mountains and facing the sea | A new model for sponge city development throughout the entire watershed. 1. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and the sea on one side, with an intricate network of waterways within, this unique topographical layout means that the urban area, when faced with heavy rains or typhoons, not only has to handle the discharge of internal rainwater but also faces the threat of mountain floods as well as the pressure from floods in the Min River. 2. In terms of sponge PPP projects, focus will be placed on developing a comprehensive watershed-based PPP project for the Fengban Second Branch River basin, which includes sponge transformation of the land at the source, pipeline transmission, centralized control at the end of the watershed, and water body treatment, thereby truly implementing a new model for sponge city construction across the entire watershed. 【Shanghai】The Sponge City Practices of an “International Metropolis” | Systematic Governance 1. Shanghai is characterized by \"three highs and one low\" – high groundwater levels, high land utilization rates, a high proportion of impermeable surfaces, and low soil infiltration rates. Promoting the development of sponge cities is an important step in building an international metropolis that is green, ecological, and sustainable ； 2. Promote the development of sponge cities through a combination of systematic approaches (coral reef protection + source modification + construction of large and small drainage systems), various types of areas (old urban areas + existing areas + newly built areas), multiple objectives (water quality + reuse + CSO control), and various implementation methods (more detailed organic measures + separate modifications). 【Shenzhen, Guangdong】The only demonstration area for the integrated use of rainwater from low-impact development: The Phoenix City “Green Ring” project. 1. Guangming New Area has become the first and only demonstration area in China for the integrated use of rainwater from low-impact development, serving as a model for other regions in Shenzhen and across the country to adopt such practices in the future ； 2. The Phoenix Green Ring Project is located in the pilot area for the development of a \"sponge city\" in Guangming New District; it represents a development axis that builds on the green spaces and water systems within Phoenix, linking together important service facilities and major construction projects. The total land area of this project is approximately 381 hectares, which is composed of various large green spaces such as a wetland park, Guangming New City Science and Technology Park, Biyen Reservoir, Qilin Mountain Park, and urban pastoral areas ； Form connection corridors along Dongkeng Water, Ejin Water and the Green Belt ； It is formed by being connected to forest areas such as Guangming Forest Park and Guanlan Forest Park. As the main platform for developing sponge city initiatives in the new area, the Green Ring Project will establish a systematic network of sponge-related facilities, covering source control, emission reduction at intermediate stages, and treatment at the end stages, thereby laying the foundation for a sponge city structure in Phoenix. 【Zhuhai, Guangdong】Frequent weather disasters | Four key demonstration areas: 1. Zhuhai, which is frequently hit by natural disasters such as typhoons and heavy rains, faces an even more urgent need to build sponge cities in order to address urban waterlogging issues. 2. Transform Zhuhai into a model city along the coast and on islands with a dense network of rivers, a model area for land reclamation in regions with high rainfall, a model for integrating old and new urban areas as well as for smart cities with sponge-like characteristics, and a model for integrated watershed management. Zhuhai is also a **ecological garden city as well as a hub for the construction of underground utility tunnels. [Hainan Sanya] “Dual Restoration” + “Dual Cities” | Distinct wet and dry seasons + tropical monsoon climate. 1. Sanya is a pilot city for China’s “sponge cities” initiative, as well as a pilot city for the “Dual Restoration” approach (ecological restoration and urban renewal) and the “Dual Cities” concept (“sponge cities” and “integrated utility tunnel cities”). The ecological restoration efforts in this city focus on the restoration of mountains, rivers, and coastlines, providing valuable experience for addressing urban problems in China ； 2. Sanya experiences distinct wet and dry seasons, with strong sunlight throughout the year. The characteristics of its tropical monsoon climate make it necessary and appropriate to implement a sponge city concept there. 【Qingyang, Gansu】Gully-type sponge areas on the Loess Plateau: Increased hardened area. 1. Qingyang is located in the gully region of the Loess Plateau; its per capita water resource availability is only one-fourth of the provincial average and one-eighth of the national average, making it a typical arid city with water shortages in the western region ； 2. As the only city built on a loess plateau, as its scale continues to expand and the area of hardened surfaces increases, rainwater that would otherwise be absorbed underground is now discharged onto the plateau. This not only leads to waste of water resources but also causes severe soil erosion and geological disasters. [Xining, Qinghai] River-valley type sponge cities: Dual pilot projects for “sponge cities + underground utility tunnels”. 1. Relying on the typical river-valley shaped urban layout of the pilot area, characterized by two mountains facing each other with a river running through the city, Xining will adopt a sponge city development strategy that focuses on managing the mountains, regulating water resources, and improving the urban environment. This approach aims to create a green and secure ecological barrier, foster an aquatic environment with clean water and green banks, and build an ecologically sustainable urban space ； 2. Establish an ecological pattern of \"blue skies and clear waters, with mountains, waters, and cities interdependent,\" which serves as a model for the development of semi-arid, water-scarce sponge cities in China’s northwest region. 【Guyuan, Ningxia】An area in the semi-arid region of the collapsible loess plateau. Located in this semi-arid area of the collapsible loess plateau, it is a city facing seasonal and engineering-related water shortages. The development of sponge cities represents not only an important initiative for building a water-conserving society in Guyuan but also a means to improve the urban environment, enhance urban functions, and create job opportunities for the local population. [Tianjin] One of China’s most water-scarce cities. Tianjin, a city that originated from water resources, is actually one of China’s most water-deficient cities. Projects such as diverting water from the Luan River and the Yellow River to Tianjin, as well as the South-to-North Water Diversion Project – all these efforts by the central and local governments, involving huge financial investments – are aimed at alleviating the severe water shortage in this economic hub in the north. 【Beijing】A super-large city facing water shortages | One screen, five gates, three rings, five water sources, nine wedges. 1. It is a super-large city with water shortages; among the more than 600 cities in the country, two-thirds suffer from insufficient water supply, and one-sixth of them are facing severe water shortages. Over the past 10 years, Beijing has managed to meet its water demand of 3.6 billion cubic meters using less than 2.1 billion cubic meters of water per year, resulting in an annual over-extraction amount of 500 million cubic meters ； 2. As a pilot demonstration area for sponge cities in Beijing, Tongzhou will make full use of the feature of five rivers converging there, and in accordance with the high-standard requirements for an urban sub-center, it will be the first to become a sponge city in a plain area ； Yanqing will, in conjunction with the construction of the World Horticultural Exposition, build a \"sponge city\" in the area in front of the mountains in line with the requirements for creating a new model of ecological civilization. [Dalian, Liaoning] Triple pressure from flooding, inundation, and tides | Large-scale Sponge City park 1: Driven up by tidal forces, water levels in the rivers in the pilot area remain high, resulting in poor drainage. When extreme high water levels and heavy rainfall occur simultaneously, the precipitation cannot be drained away, resulting in severe waterlogging problems ； 2. The \"North-West Road Sponge City Park\" is a pilot project for the construction of sponge cities in Dalian this year; it will effectively address various issues related to rainwater infiltration, retention, storage, purification, utilization, and drainage. The park is located at the intersection of Northwest Road and South Song Road, covering an area of 7,100 square meters. This garden is located in a busy traffic area; it consists mainly of circular paths with no space to stop, and some of the cobblestone surfaces are damaged. 【Yuxi, Yunnan】Plateau-type sponge city | Low water availability but high green space coverage | \"Mountains·City·Lake\" in the plateau lake region. 1. The annual rainfall in the central urban area of Yuxi is only 909 millimeters, while the evaporation rate is 1624 millimeters; it has a plateau monsoon arid-hot climate, making it a city with water shortages, yet it features a high proportion of green spaces. 2. Yuxi has taken on the task of exploring new approaches for building sponge cities in the stepped slopes of plateau areas.