On Jan. 10, 2020, the 2019 National Science and Technology Awards Conference was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. 2 NHRI achievements won the 2019 National Science and Technology Progress Awards. The research findings of the project, the Three-Gorge Project on the Yangtze River, won the Special Prize of the 2019 National Science and Technology Progress Award, and those of the project, Technology of Water Environment Improvement of Urban River Networks in the Yangtze River Delta and Its Application, the Second Prize. NHRI Vice Presidents LI Yun, DAI Jiqun and WU Shiqiang attended the conference.

With supports from the Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment, National Natural Science Foundation of China, MWR Public Welfare Industry Special Projects and other research projects, fruitful research achievements have been made after more than 10 years’ joint research of the project, Technology of Water Environment Improvement of Urban River Networks in the Yangtze River Delta and Its Application. NHRI Researchers adopted comprehensive methods such as theoretical analysis, prototype observation, model testing, numerical simulation, and product development, and took into account the demands for flood control, waterlogging prevention, and water resources allocation. With water system connectivity as the basis, hydrodynamic force the driving force, water environment improvement the target, the researchers established related theories, technical system and regulation system for long-term and stable water environment improvement of urban river networks.

The achievements, including a complete set of technological system and patterns, and successfully demonstrated in water quality improvement in old town district of Suzhou, have been applied to water environment treatment of more than 20 cities. The research findings also guaranteed clean water environment of important events like the G20 Summit in Hangzhou and the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. These applications have contributed to eco-civilization city construction in Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province and Shanghai Municipality, bringing significant economic, social and eco-environmental benefits.

The Three-Gorge Project is a backbone project for the governance and development of the Yangtze River. With a series of major innovation breakthroughs in the overall project layout, engineering construction, eco-environmental protection and project operation management, the project has yielded huge comprehensive benefits in regard of flood control, power generation, shipping and water resources utilization.

Since the 1930s, NHRI has carried out scientific research for the development preliminary plan of the Three-Gorge on the Yangtze River. The Institute has long been engaged in research of the project layout, hydraulics of high-head ship locks, sediment erosion and deposition in dam area and backwater zone, navigation safety of ship lifts, comprehensive management of waterways in the reservoir and downstream of the dam, complex foundation treatment, hydraulic materials and other aspects. Fruitful innovation achievements have provided powerful scientific and technological support for the planning, demonstration, design, construction, and operation of the Three-Gorge Project. The Special Prize is the second one in NHRI History.

In 2019, the Institute has won 20 science and technology awards at national, ministerial and provincial level in total.