[Photo from tylyhy.cn]

Located between Xiajingyou Village and Xiashijiazhuang Village in Loufan County, Fenhe Reservoir is the largest reservoir project in Shanxi province. Lying in the hinterland of Luliang Mountain along the upper reaches of the Fenhe River, the reservoir is over 1,000 meters above sea level. The dam of the reservoir is 98 kilometers from Taiyuan. The construction of the project was started in 1958 and completed in 1961. With a total capacity of 720,000,000 cubic meters, the maximum water area of the reservoir is 32 square kilometers and the biggest depth is 1,130 meters. The water capacity of the reservoir is equivalent to 13.5 times that of the Ming Tombs Reservoir outside Beijing and the water area here is equal to more than 200 Kunming Lakes in the Summer Palace.

The main project of the reservoir – the construction of the dam, adopted the method of pouring soil into water and reinforcing it layer by layer, which was the first case of its kind in the world. Fenhe Reservoir is a comprehensive water conservancy project that combines irrigation, flood control and the industrial use of water. In 1987, a power plant with an annual capacity of 7,000,000 KWH was built at the reservoir. Over the past 30 years since the reservoir was put into operation, more than 4 billion yuan ($648 million) has been saved from flood control, industrial water use and power generation. In short, Fenhe Reservoir was the largest water conservancy project that could be utilized for multiple purposes in the Fenhe River reaches in the late 20th century. Therefore, it has justly earned its reputation in the Loess plateau in the northwest of Shanxi.

5300 square kilometers along the upper reaches of the reservoir make up a controlled range (including the four counties of Ningwu, Jingle, Lanxian, and Loufan) which is suitable for growing shallow, medium and deep water fish species. There are more than a dozen fish species including carp, crucian carp, yellow-fin tuna, grass carp and giant salamander there. In addition, there are large quantities of aquatic products including lobster and turtle. Fenhe Reservoir is not merely a magnificent water conservancy project or a farm for fish and poultry, its charm lies in that there is a green artificial lake hiding behind the Loess hills and the man-made scenery that has been integrated with the landscape. It is the only one in northern China and a rare tourist destination worthy of a visit in China.

Address: Fenhe Reservoir, Xiashijiazhuang Village, Loufan County, Taiyuan

Tel: 5368036