With a length of 41.6 kilometers, Maozhou River, which runs from southeast to northwest, is the longest river in Shenzhen. It was once one of the most heavily polluted rivers in the city, due to severe industrial pollution and sewage caused by urban expansion in the past 30 years.

Over the past four years, local authorities have spent more than 40 billion yuan on cleaning up heavily polluted rivers in Shenzhen. Guangming has also built separate pipe systems for rain water and domestic wastewater, which have increased the treatment capacity of sewage. The ecological environment along the Maozhou River has been dramatically improved as more greenways and wetland parks have been built.

The first rowing race in Guangming was held in the Nanguang Lvjing section of Maozhou River.

On Dec. 25, 2021, the first rowing race in Guangming was held in the Nanguang Lvjing section of Maozhou River, indicating that the quality of water in the river has met the standards for rowing activities. In a rest station at the section, visitors could enjoy beautiful scenery featuring clear river water. When people take a stroll along the river, they can see white cranes flying above red flowers, and green trees and grass on the river banks. The Nanguang Lyjing section has been turned into a waterfront recreation space for leisure, sports, recreation for the kids, canoeing and so on.

The Left Bank Science and Technology Park

The Left Bank Science and Technology Park, located on the left bank of Maozhou River, is one of the most important projects along the river. With meticulously designed exhibition halls, plank roads and a covered bridge, ecology and technology are perfectly integrated here.

Residents who live around Loucun Wetland Park could feel the improvement of the water quality of Maozhou River at close range. As the first and only wetland park in Guangming District, Loucun Wetland Park also serves as a platform for visitors to learn about how sponge city works.

The greenway of Maozhou River.

So far, the 14.6-kilometer Maozhou River landscape improvement project has been basically completed. More and more people come to admire the scenery along the river. The smelly river in the past has become a beautiful scenic spot today.