The River Runs Back 无定之河

For thousands of years Beijing depended on the Yongding River, but for the last decade the river has been dry. Low rainfall and rampant industrial development caused the river’s demise. Reservoirs fed by the river are less than a tenth full, a symptom of a water crisis affecting the whole of Beijing.

Now the river faces another dramatic transformation. Beijing’s government is spending the equivalent of over 2.5 billion US dollars to create a manicured landscape of lakes and parkland along the river. Designers say the project aims at restoring local ecology, but environmentalists believe that the facelift will only serve to increase pressure on Beijing’s water reserves. As Chinese officials increasingly appeal to environmental benefits when justifying large engineering projects, “The River Runs Back” takes an inside look at the development debate.

Also see a photo gallery by Berta Tilmantaitė.
Translation & Text: Tom Hancock 

Video & Photography: Berta Tilmantaitė
Originally published on Thursday October 6, 2011

4 Responses to “The River Runs Back 无定之河”

  1. Lietuvė žurnalistė B. Tilmantaitė apdovanota kartu su „World press photo 2012“ laureatais | Universiteto žurnalistas Says:

    [...] publikuotas žurnale „Geografical“ Britanijoje, taip pat nevyriausybinių organizacijų „China Green/Asia Society“ bei „China Dialogue“ [...]

  2. Finalists Digital Heretics Online Journalism Award | Journalism Festival #ijf12 Says:

    [...] Berta Tilmataitè and Tom Hancock, “The river runs back” [...]

  3. Environmental China: Issue 129, October 7 to October 14, 2011 Says:

    [...] Video: River Runs Black (Asia Society’s China Green, 10/6/2011) For thousands of years Beijing depended on the Yongding River, but for the last decade the river has been dry. Low rainfall and rampant industrial development caused the river’s demise. Reservoirs fed by the river are less than a tenth full, a symptom of a water crisis affecting the whole of Beijing. Now the river faces another dramatic transformation. Beijing’s government is spending the equivalent of over 2.5 billion US dollars to create a manicured landscape of lakes and parkland along the river. [...]

  4. Asia Society features student multimedia project | International Multimedia Journalism Says:

    [...] Tilmantaite’s award-winning video “The River Runs Back” is now playing on the Asia Society’s web site, as part of their China Green initiative. ← Graduates scoop the Dali international multimedia [...]

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