456
freshwater body (commonly called lake) situated
120 km from Jixi. The area of the lake is
4,190 km
2 (419,000 ha). Out of this, 3,030 km
2
(303,000 ha) is located in Russia and 1,160 km
2
(116,000 ha) in China. The lake has a maximum
depth of 10.6 m and an average depth of 4.5 m.
The area around the lake is an important wetland
habitat and forms a National Nature Reserve on
the Chinese side and the Khanka Lake Nature
Reserve on the Russian side. This wetland is a
dwelling site for the rare lesser white-fronted
goose. The lake area located in Chinese territory
belongs to the Government of China and it is
exploited by the farms for fi shery, agriculture and
livestock rearing.
21.10.2 Physical Data
Khanka Lake consists of two lakes separated by a
10-m sandy hill. Lake shores are swampy except
in the northwest (NW). The drainage basin is an
alluvial plain with an area of approx. 16,890 km
2
(1,689,000 ha). Ninety-seven percent of the
catchment of the wetland lies in Russian territory.
It is the largest waterbody of NE China having a
water surface area of 4,000–4,400 km
2 (400,000–
440,000 ha). It is fed by 23 rivers (8 in China and
15 in Russia), but Songacha River is the only outfl ow of the lake. Its average volume is 18.3 km
3 ,
maximum volume is 22.6 km
3 . The lake belongs
to the Ussuri River System, which is part of Amur
River System.
The wetland temperature ranges from −19.2 to
21.2 °C. Rainfall occurs mainly in summer, totalling 750 mm annually. The residence time of
Khanka Lake is 1 year. In the Neolithic era, there
was a well-developed Bohai culture in the area of
the Khanka Lake.
21.10.3 Xixi National Wetland Park
It is the fi rst and only national wetland park in
China. It is located at the western part of
Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. It has an area of
10.64 km
2 (26,300 acres or 1,064 ha). The park is
densely crisscrossed with six main water courses,
amongst which scatter various ponds, lakes and
swamps. Xixi Wetland has a history of more than
1,800 years and a glorious cultural heritage. It is
the original site of Chinese South Opera. It has a
traditional dragon boat contest. It contains the
vivid life of a water village, featuring silkworm
feeding and silk production. Amongst the birds,
typical are egret, white wild goose, kingfi sher,
green head duck and silver pheasant. Aquatic
animals include the fi shes like the carps, chubs
and eels. Also, shrimps and crabs are found.
Some of the plants are persimmon, willow, camphor, bamboo, mulberry, plum, elm, nelumbo,
maple, poplar and hibiscus.
In addition to above, some of the high altitude
(HA) lentic bodies of China have been dealt with
in Chap. 6 .
21.11 Wetlands of Taiwan
There are quite a large number of lentic bodies in
Taiwan, an account of which is briefl y given
below with an example.
The Sihcao Wetlands (Plate 21.9 ) are protected areas consisting of mangrove swamps,
salt marshes, drainage ditches, etc. It is located
in Tainan City’s Annan District, in the Tainan
County of Taiwan. They have an area of
c 515 ha and consist of the area bounded by the
southeastern side of the Luermen River and the
northern side of the Yan-Shui River. The Sihcao
Wildlife Refuge was created in November
2004 to protect the area further, especially
from possible encroachment from the nearby
Tainan Technology Industrial Park. The Sihcao
Wetlands along with the Zengwun Estuary
Wetland were listed as Ramsar sites on 10
December 2007.
21.12 Wetlands of Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, there are different types of wetlands in different environmental conditions, an
account of which is briefl y given below.
21 Wetlands of Other Regions in Asia
freshwater body (commonly called lake) situated
120 km from Jixi. The area of the lake is
4,190 km
2 (419,000 ha). Out of this, 3,030 km
2
(303,000 ha) is located in Russia and 1,160 km
2
(116,000 ha) in China. The lake has a maximum
depth of 10.6 m and an average depth of 4.5 m.
The area around the lake is an important wetland
habitat and forms a National Nature Reserve on
the Chinese side and the Khanka Lake Nature
Reserve on the Russian side. This wetland is a
dwelling site for the rare lesser white-fronted
goose. The lake area located in Chinese territory
belongs to the Government of China and it is
exploited by the farms for fi shery, agriculture and
livestock rearing.
21.10.2 Physical Data
Khanka Lake consists of two lakes separated by a
10-m sandy hill. Lake shores are swampy except
in the northwest (NW). The drainage basin is an
alluvial plain with an area of approx. 16,890 km
2
(1,689,000 ha). Ninety-seven percent of the
catchment of the wetland lies in Russian territory.
It is the largest waterbody of NE China having a
water surface area of 4,000–4,400 km
2 (400,000–
440,000 ha). It is fed by 23 rivers (8 in China and
15 in Russia), but Songacha River is the only outfl ow of the lake. Its average volume is 18.3 km
3 ,
maximum volume is 22.6 km
3 . The lake belongs
to the Ussuri River System, which is part of Amur
River System.
The wetland temperature ranges from −19.2 to
21.2 °C. Rainfall occurs mainly in summer, totalling 750 mm annually. The residence time of
Khanka Lake is 1 year. In the Neolithic era, there
was a well-developed Bohai culture in the area of
the Khanka Lake.
21.10.3 Xixi National Wetland Park
It is the fi rst and only national wetland park in
China. It is located at the western part of
Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. It has an area of
10.64 km
2 (26,300 acres or 1,064 ha). The park is
densely crisscrossed with six main water courses,
amongst which scatter various ponds, lakes and
swamps. Xixi Wetland has a history of more than
1,800 years and a glorious cultural heritage. It is
the original site of Chinese South Opera. It has a
traditional dragon boat contest. It contains the
vivid life of a water village, featuring silkworm
feeding and silk production. Amongst the birds,
typical are egret, white wild goose, kingfi sher,
green head duck and silver pheasant. Aquatic
animals include the fi shes like the carps, chubs
and eels. Also, shrimps and crabs are found.
Some of the plants are persimmon, willow, camphor, bamboo, mulberry, plum, elm, nelumbo,
maple, poplar and hibiscus.
In addition to above, some of the high altitude
(HA) lentic bodies of China have been dealt with
in Chap. 6 .
21.11 Wetlands of Taiwan
There are quite a large number of lentic bodies in
Taiwan, an account of which is briefl y given
below with an example.
The Sihcao Wetlands (Plate 21.9 ) are protected areas consisting of mangrove swamps,
salt marshes, drainage ditches, etc. It is located
in Tainan City’s Annan District, in the Tainan
County of Taiwan. They have an area of
c 515 ha and consist of the area bounded by the
southeastern side of the Luermen River and the
northern side of the Yan-Shui River. The Sihcao
Wildlife Refuge was created in November
2004 to protect the area further, especially
from possible encroachment from the nearby
Tainan Technology Industrial Park. The Sihcao
Wetlands along with the Zengwun Estuary
Wetland were listed as Ramsar sites on 10
December 2007.
21.12 Wetlands of Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, there are different types of wetlands in different environmental conditions, an
account of which is briefl y given below.
21 Wetlands of Other Regions in Asia