On October 17, the Hubei Provincial Water Resources Department announced that the main irrigation period for the region has concluded. This year, Hubei has seen a record number of irrigation zones opening, alongside the largest irrigated farmland area during this period, thus providing reliable water resources for both summer and autumn grain harvests.
According to reports, all 534 large and medium-sized irrigation areas in the province have successfully implemented irrigation as of this year, supplying a total of 11.27 billion cubic meters of water. During the spring irrigation period, 425 of these irrigation areas were activated, resulting in a cumulative water supply of 1.65 billion cubic meters, covering over 17.88 million acres of farmland. In the summer irrigation period, all 534 areas were also activated, delivering a total of 9.63 billion cubic meters of water and irrigating nearly 37.84 million acres.
With the accelerated renovation of large and medium-sized irrigation zones across the province, the efficiency of agricultural water use has noticeably improved. Areas like the Wang Ying and Yin Dan irrigation zones have modernized their systems, leading to enhanced channel flow capacity, reduced leakage rates, and shorter water supply cycles—from around seven days down to approximately three—thereby boosting water supply efficiency.
Furthermore, the Zhanghe and Wuling irrigation zones have leveraged a digital twin platform to achieve comprehensive, real-time flow monitoring at crucial junctions of the irrigation system. By developing a mobile app for platform management, on-site personnel can now access monitoring information and conduct inspections and maintenance online.
The Hanjiang Xinglong hydraulic project uses data sensing and modeling to provide more accurate predictions of water inflow and flow convergence over the next few days, enabling repeated simulations for optimal scheduling solutions. With the help of digital twin technology, the Qianjiang Xinglong and Tianmen Luohansi irrigation zones have achieved gravity-fed water intake, with daily flow rates exceeding 100 cubic meters per second and an irrigation assurance rate of 95%.
Additionally, Hubei has recently issued a provincial map of its large and medium-sized irrigation zones, built upon national records. This initiative aims to comprehensively survey and process data related to the management of these zones, including surface, line, and point information. This dynamic monitoring approach helps manage the distribution of water source projects and key infrastructures, while addressing issues related to unclear irrigation boundaries and overlapping irrigation areas.