On the afternoon of March 22, the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of Tsinghua University Weishan Irrigation District Ecological Hydrological Observation Station and the Seminar on the New Era Development of Irrigation District were held at the Conference and Reception Center in Liaocheng City, Shandong Province. ZHANG Jianjun, Vice Mayor of Liaocheng City; FU Xudong, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Civil Engineering; WANG Huan, Deputy Director of the China Irrigation and Drainage Development Center of the Ministry of Water Resources; and XIAO Hong, Deputy Director of the Shandong Provincial Department of Water Resources, attended the event and delivered speeches.

Speech by ZHANG Jianjun

ZHANG Jianjun stated that over the past 20 years of collaboration between the Weishan Irrigation District and Tsinghua University, the station has continuously conducted research on water-saving irrigation models and irrigation systems, generating a wealth of valuable data resources and high-quality research outcomes. It has successfully developed a crop water demand forecasting model, effectively promoting agricultural water conservation and efficiency, and played a positive role in achieving the city's “22 consecutive years of harvests.”

Speech by FU Xudong

FU Xudong noted that the collaboration between Tsinghua University and the Weishan Irrigation District is a successful model of scientific innovation, practical application, and education, providing technological support for the high-quality development of the irrigation district and the efficient use of water resources. In the future, Tsinghua University will further deepen university-local collaboration, strengthen scientific and technological innovation, contribute more technological strength to the efficient use of water resources, and cultivate more high-quality talent for the future development of the water conservancy sector.

Speech by WANG Huan

WANG Huan highly commended the scientific research value of the long-term observational data and the achievements made over the past 20 years of collaboration between Tsinghua University and the Weishan Irrigation District. She noted that observational and experimental work plays a foundational role in enhancing agricultural irrigation water efficiency, advancing the modernization of irrigation districts, and ensuring food security.

Speech by XIAO Hong

XIAO Hong stated that the Shandong Provincial Department of Water Resources has vigorously implemented the “Science and Technology for Water Development” strategy, continuously leveraging the leading and supporting role of scientific and technological innovation. The irrigation experimental station network system has been continuously improved, with significantly enhanced foundational capabilities, a steady stream of technological achievements, and notable results from university-local government collaborations. These efforts have provided important scientific and technological support for improving irrigation water use efficiency, achieving optimal water resource allocation, and developing modern agriculture.

Conference Venue

The keynote speech session was hosted by LEI Huimin, Associate Professor at the Department of Hydraulic Engineering. Prof. TIAN Fuqiang from the Department of Hydraulic Engineering at Tsinghua University, Prof. XU Xu from the School of Hydraulic and Civil Engineering at China Agricultural University, Senior Engineer CHEN Haorui from the Chinese Academy of Water Sciences, and LEI Huimin respectively delivered academic reports on the topics of “Intelligent Monitoring Technology for Irrigation Districts Based on eVTOL,” “Research on Multi-Process and Regulation of the Agricultural Water-Ecological System in the Hetao Irrigation District,” “Key Technologies and Practices for the Construction of Digital Twin Irrigation Districts,” and “Twenty Years of Scientific Research in the Weishan Irrigation District: Achievements and Prospects.”

At the end of the meeting, LEI Huimin reviewd on the collaborative efforts and scientific research achievements of generations of Tsinghua University teachers and students working alongside irrigation district staff.

Participants visited the Weishan Irrigation District Smart Dispatch Center

Participants visited the Tsinghua University-Weishan Irrigation District Ecological Hydrology Observation Station, established in 2005, and observed the achievements of the digital twin irrigation district platform at the Weishan Irrigation District Smart Dispatch Center.

Over 80 participants, including representatives from the China Irrigation and Drainage Development Center of the Ministry of Water Resources, the Shandong Provincial Department of Water Resources, faculty members from the Department of Hydraulic Engineering at Tsinghua University and relevant research institutes attended the event.