The first stage of construction on a water-lifting irrigation project is underway in Harbin’s Bayan county along the Songhua River. [Photo/my399.com]

The first stage of construction on a water-lifting irrigation project is underway in Harbin’s Bayan county along the Songhua River, and is expected to be finished before the end of October.

The three-stage water-lifting irrigation project covers an irrigated area of 176,800 mu (11,787 hectares) with total investment of 510 million yuan ($76.56 million).

The main canal of the project is 22.83-meters long, and the branch canals have a total length of 29.43 meters.

The project has similar functions to a large-scale irrigation reservoir, but requires only a fraction of the investment.

By turning dry land into paddy fields, the project is to benefit 7,175 households in Songhuajiang county and Bayan town –– including 810 families currently deemed to be living in poverty –– with an expected boost to annual incomes of 3,904 yuan ($585.6) per capita.

Bayan county is putting a special emphasis on agricultural structural adjustment, making an effort to form a large-scale irrigated area along the river. With improvements to the quality of farm products and development of agriculture, an ecological tourism zone will be built along the river.