In Jilin, a much-anticipated water management project connecting rivers and lakes and major water conservancy works in the west of the province will be completed this year. It will turn previously unutilized natural resources into industrial and economic advantages, local officials said.

The total area of wetlands in the western region of Jilin covers 4,939 square kilometers.

The wetlands and lakes that had dried up have now burst back to life, attracting a great number of migratory birds. And the ecological environment has significantly improved, experts said.

They said the microclimate in western Jilin has improved with water shortages alleviated, which guarantees its use in industrial and agricultural production and daily lives.

The protection and restoration of wetlands not only creates a better harmony between humans and nature, but also plays a key role in the construction of an ecological civilization in Jilin－an important government initiative, local officials said.

Chagan Lake in Songyuan city, is China's seventh-largest lake and the largest freshwater lake in northeastern China. Thanks to the water management project, bogs in the urban area of Songyuan and neighboring counties have had their water supplies replenished with water coming from 72 lakes with Chagan Lake at the core.

The annual amount of water diverted can reach 275 million cubic meters and the maximum water storage can total 1.7 billion cu m. A total of 1,028 sq km of lacustrine wetlands have been restored and improved, local officials said. Last year, Chagan Lake received 4.6 million visits and earned 4.05 billion yuan ($581.3 million) in revenue.

The project also benefited Baicheng. The city's 124 bogs were connected and its two reservoirs－drained for 12 years－came back to life. Rare waterfowl species like swans and red-crowned cranes also returned.

Official data show the project has helped increase water storage capacity in Baicheng by 250 million cu m, improve and restore 640 sq km of wetlands, and restored 70,000-hectares of grassland and reeds.

The groundwater level in Baicheng rose by an average of 1.02 meters, and 15,000 wells in farmlands regained previously lost irrigation capacity. The amount of irrigation water in farmlands was increased by nearly 550 million cu m.

At the beginning of this year, Baicheng transferred 90 million cu m of water to restore and improve part of the Xianghai wetland. As a result of all these efforts, residents in Baicheng now have more options for enjoying leisure time near the water.

Momoge in Baicheng, which is the largest wetland reserve in Jilin and an important stop on the migratory paths of birds in East Asia, has dedicated itself to developing local tourism centered on its ecological resources, according to local officials.

Han Junhong contributed to this story.