According to the statistics, the Lingchuan section of the Li River has 17 barrages with 176 bamboo watermills before liberation. At that time, the section provided water to around 271.86 hectares of farmland. As at 23rd July 2019, there are 5 reservoirs along the upper reaches of the Li River.
Since 1973, the Li River cruises have offered a fascinating option to tourists to admire the typical karst landscape on the river. In 1982, the Li River was listed into the first national key scenic areas. In 1996, it was declared one of the nationally protected 13 rivers. In 2000, the cruise route from Guilin to Yangshuo on the Li River was granted the tile of “Civilization Route” by the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China. In 2013, the Li River was declared one of the 15 most beautiful rivers in the world by CNN. In 2014, the Li River was declared a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
Since 2012, the local government has invested nearly 7 billion CNY into the comprehensive treatment and ecological protection engineering program of the Li River. And the hardwork in the program has been creating great and satisfying outcome.
