Xi'an Zaohe Sponge River

Project Profile

1. Project Statement

The Xi'an region has long been acclaimed for the beauty of "Eight Waters Surrounding Chang'an," including rivers such as Bahe, Chanhe, Yuhe, Haohe, Zaohe, Fenghe, Weihe, and Jinghe. The Zaohe River, a primary tributary of the Wei River, traverses the Xi'an High-tech Development Zone, serving as a vital corridor in the area with the highest development intensity between the Yanta District and the High-tech Zone. From 2005 to 2017, the Zaohe River underwent concealed channel transformation, enhancing the urban environment along the riverbanks. In April 2020, during an inspection in Shanxi, President Xi Jinping emphasized the ecological civilization ideology, advocating for the concept that "Clear waters and green mountains are as good as mountains of gold and silver" and promoting the transformation of the Yellow River basin from excessive intervention and utilization towards natural restoration and rejuvenation, thereby improving the ecological environment quality of the basin.
The current Zaohe Sponge River Design aligns with the implementation of Xi Jinping's ecological civilization ideology, simultaneously developing urban construction and environmental protection, enhancing ecological quality, and providing a distinctive multi-functional riverside ecological recreational corridor for residents.

2. Objective and Challenge

The primary objective of this design is to restore the ecological foundation of Zaohe. This involves revitalizing the river's ecological system, designing a comprehensive slow traffic system, creating landscape recreational spaces, cultural experience areas, etc., to establish a vibrant urban green valley park integrating functions such as rainwater management, pollution control, flood drainage, ecological water purification, image enhancement, and leisure recreation.
The design faces several challenges:
Challenge 1: Insufficient water flow in the current river section, unable to meet safety requirements, and upstream sections failing to meet flood prevention and drainage standards.
Challenge 2: Poor water quality due to historical industrial wastewater discharge.
Challenge 3: Lack of recreational spaces to meet the future needs of surrounding residents.
Challenge 4: Fragmented current transportation systems around the site.

3. Design Strategy

Strategy 1: Ecological Restoration and Water Purification
Restore the ecological base by implementing ecological methods on both sides of the concealed channel, providing new habitats for flora and fauna; Introduce a series of wetland systems for water filtration and purification, laying a solid foundation for overall ecological improvement along the Zaohe.
Strategy 2: Multi-level Traffic System
Utilize the embankment road as a structural framework for a comprehensive slow traffic system, including embankment greenways, aerial footbridges, landscape terraces, water walkways, et; Connect different spaces on both sides of the Zaohe, enhancing waterfront accessibility, while meeting firefighting and flood prevention requirements through the embankment greenways.
Strategy 3: Unique Landscape Spaces
Leverage the natural height differences along the Zaohe to create distinctive landscape spaces; Design terrace-style retaining walls on both sides of the river, incorporating wetland vegetation to form small ecological spaces for wildlife; Establish terrace-style purification wetlands in larger areas, contributing to water quality improvement; Design scenic platforms at various locations to provide excellent spatial and visual experiences for residents; Incorporate water walkways and waterfront platforms in the river to enhance residents' water-centric experiences.

4. Conclusion

Upon completion, the Zaohe river's ecological system will be restored, bolstering its purification capabilities, rainwater management, flood control, and recreational functions. The design not only addresses ecological restoration challenges but also caters to the distinctive recreational needs of local residents, culminating in the creation of a unique urban green valley park.