More than a century ago, Zhang Jian (1853-1926), a prominent industrialist and educator in modern China, recognized the importance of water management to industrial and economic development and carried out a series of water conservancy projects in Hai'an, Nantong.

Hai'an, located in the Lixiahe area, is crisscrossed by waterways. The Nantong-Yangzhou Canal, known in records as the Shangguyan Salt Transport Canal, functioned as a major freight route and a pillar of local commerce.

In 1910, silt accumulation in the canal section between Jiangyan and Hai'an reached a critical level, threatening the supply of raw materials to Zhang's Dasheng Cotton Mill and the shipment of its products. Zhang joined the Jiangyan Chamber of Commerce in funding a three-month dredging project to restore navigation along the waterway.

Zhang's water management efforts also extended to coastal land reclamation. In 1915, he established the Dalai Salt Reclamation Company in the Jiaoxie area and reclaimed about 210,000 mu (14,000 hectares) of tidal flats. The project included seawalls, drainage channels and sluice gates to control flooding and water storage.

Today, Hai'an is developing a modern water network featuring two major horizontal waterways, five vertical routes, three zones and more than 100 rivers, supported by over 1,000 sluices and pumping stations. Digital technologies are also being used to improve water monitoring and management, providing stronger support for agriculture, industry and urban development.

The Nantong-Yangzhou Canal. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]