It was learned that both left and right main canal of irrigation area of Leshui Dam of Yizhang county which dried for over 10 years worked again.

The water for the irrigation area of Leshui Dam was diverted from Changleshui river with a design diversion discharge of 2cubicmeters/second. The diverted water would flow via 7.55kms long main canal, 14.59kms long left main canal and 16.53kms right canal and help to irrigate about 14,000mu farmland of 4 counties of the area. It is a significant water resource of irrigation, livelihood and ecology for the south towns and villages of Yizhang county.

Due to lack of investment and maintenance, the irrigation area was shrink gradually from 1990s’. Till March, 2014, there were only 2kms of the main canal workable, which caused the whole irrigation area to be paralyzed. Some farmlands were abandoned for lacking of water. In May, 2014, some reporters of Chenzhou Daily took a deepening investigation to the irrigation area and submitted a report entitled “the paralysis of a medium-sized irrigation area” on which presented an idea for solving water conservancy problems after the infrastructures of rural area have been settled. Chenzhou municipal leaders placed the instruction to enhance water conservancy facilities construction of rural area in that June. In early June, 2014, some municipal leaders of Chenzhou city held an on-site working conference on Yiliu town of Yizhang county and specified the principal ideas and methods on the treatment of irrigation areas. Yizhang county figured out “implementation solution on canal desilting and reinforcement of Leshui dam” afterward.

From last winter to this spring, 1.4million yuan was placed on the repair and canal desilting issues by Yizhang county. On April 5, 2015, the canal was placed to trial operation and the water flowed to the end of both left and right canals.

Currently, the diversion capacity of the irrigation area is up to one rate of flow which was sufficient for the irrigation of 10,000mu paddy fields of the area. When reporters arrived there on April 7, 2015, the irrigation area was full of vigor that tobacco fields, paddy fields, vegetable bases, and etc. were available there again. Per the villages where the main canal’s water flows by were with beautiful ecological scenery. Leshui dam became a “happiness dam” again. Liu Guangming- Deputy Director of Yizhang Water Conservancy Bureau and Liu Yujun- Chief of Yiliu town said to the reports that all the 6 of 16 wooden gates of Leshui dam have been changed to steel gates and the rest 10 have been enrolled into the reinforcement project list of national large and medium dangerous gates. The maintenance mechanism would be figured out in next step to form a long-term mechanism on annual and daily maintenance.