Internal Security

Defense Horizons | Loyal Guardians of the 'Great Water Well'

国防视野丨“大水井”上的忠诚守护

PLA Daily (解放军报) 12 May 2026

Summary

A PLA Daily feature profiles the Militia South-to-North Water Diversion Well-Guard Company, a veteran-staffed militia unit based in Danjiangkou City, Hubei, that conducts reservoir patrols, environmental law enforcement support, and flood-response operations at Danjiangkou Reservoir—the headwaters of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Central Route Project. The unit's integration into a formal coordination mechanism with civilian water resources, forestry, and law enforcement agencies illustrates the PLA's use of militia formations to extend state capacity into critical infrastructure protection roles that fall outside conventional military missions. The article is routine propaganda but is useful as documentation of how militia units are being tasked and structured around infrastructure security, a function that receives less analytic attention than militia roles in maritime or cyber domains.

Translation

Loyal Guardians of the 'Great Water Well'

■ Cai Guofu, PLA Daily Special Correspondent Chen Yichen

In May, Danjiangkou Reservoir in Hubei shimmers with vast blue waves as water birds soar and gather. At dawn, a patrol boat flying the banner of the "Militia South-to-North Water Diversion Well-Guard Company" slowly pulls away from the dock. Company Commander Qi Huahui stands at the bow, leading the unit into another day of patrol.

Qi Huahui holds a legal education pamphlet in his hand. "Wherever the patrol goes, legal education follows," he says. Not long ago, China promulgated the Ecological Environment Code, which sets stricter requirements for the protection of water source areas. As the core water source area and dam site of the South-to-North Water Diversion Central Route Project, every blade of grass and every drop of clear water in Danjiangkou Reservoir is directly tied to the drinking water safety of the people—which is why it is vividly called the "Great Water Well." For the militia of the Well-Guard Company, guarding this "well" is their mission.

As the boat reached a reservoir cove, a villager was tending to his fields on the bank. Militia squad leader Li Jun jumped off the boat, pulled out a pamphlet, and walked over.

"Old Chen, keeping busy? Brought you some 'spiritual nourishment.'" Li Jun pointed to the text and explained: "You can't grow vegetables in the reservoir's drawdown zone (消落区) anymore—the Code spells it out clearly. The water from our Danjiangkou travels north for a thousand li without stopping; the source cannot be compromised."

Villager Chen Li took the pamphlet, looked it over, and nodded: "You're out patrolling the reservoir every day, and the loudspeakers are broadcasting too—I've got all this in mind."

In April of last year, the Well-Guard Company received a tip from residents that vessels from another province had entered the reservoir for illegal fishing. Li Jun led several militia members by boat to the scene and boarded the vessel for inspection in accordance with the law. Mid-inspection, the vessel suddenly started its engine and attempted to flee. Li Jun stumbled and fell into the water, but relying on his strong swimming ability, he powered back to the side of the boat in a few strokes. Soaking wet, he had no time to catch his breath, and together with his teammates brought the vessel under control.

The predecessor of the Militia South-to-North Water Diversion Well-Guard Company was the Danjiangkou City Militia Emergency Company, whose entire membership consists of veterans. After the renaming, the militia's mission to guard and protect the water became clearer. For them, guarding the water is not a slogan but something woven into every day's departure, every act of dissuasion, and every kilometer of patrol.

Since the Well-Guard Company was established one year ago, it has accumulated more than 20,000 kilometers of patrol mileage. Last summer, Danjiangkou City was hit by urban waterlogging. Well-Guard Company militia members waded through waist-deep floodwater, knocking on doors one by one to evacuate affected residents. After the floodwaters receded, the militia threw themselves into silt-clearing and debris-removal work.

In addition, the Well-Guard Company has established a coordination mechanism with the reservoir's comprehensive law enforcement brigade and departments including water resources and forestry, forming a collaborative model of "militia patrol + departmental enforcement." The militia handles frontline patrol and on-site dissuasion, preserving evidence of violations at the first opportunity, after which law enforcement departments step in. Qi Huahui says that the greatest benefit of this mechanism in practice is that it is "fast to respond and able to hold the line."

As the sun sets in the west, the patrol boat turns and heads back to port. Qi Huahui stands at the bow, gazing out over the waters where he has lived for more than forty years, and says with feeling: "The people of Danjiangkou have depended on this water for generations. Now this 'Great Water Well' nourishes even more people. Guarding this reservoir is guarding our lifeline."

Original Chinese

“大水井”上的忠诚守护 ■蔡国夫解放军报特约通讯员陈一琛 5月的湖北丹江口水库，碧波万顷，水鸟翔集。清晨，一艘挂着“民兵南水北调守井连”旗帜的巡逻船从码头缓缓驶出，连长齐华辉站在船头，带队开启新一天的巡逻。齐华辉的手里捏着一本普法宣传小册子。“巡逻到哪里，普法就讲到哪里。”齐华辉说，前不久，我国颁布生态环境法典，对水源地保护提出更严要求。作为南水北调中线工程的核心水源区和坝区所在地，丹江口水库的一草一木、一库碧水，直接关系到人民饮水安全，因此被形象地称为“大水井”。对于守井连民兵来说，守好这口“井”是他们的使命。小船行至一处库湾，岸边有村民正在整理田地。民兵班长李俊跳下船，掏出宣传册走了过去。 “老陈，忙着呢？给你带了份‘精神食粮’。”李俊指着上面的文字，解释道，“库区消落区以后可不能种菜了，法典写得明明白白。咱丹江口的水，北上千里都不停，源头可不能含糊。” 村民陈理接过小册子看了看，点点头：“你们天天在库区转，喇叭里也播，这些事我记着呢。” 去年4月，守井连接到群众举报，有外省船只进入库区非法捕捞。李俊带领几名民兵驾船赶赴现场，依法登船检查。检查过程中，船只突然发动，企图逃窜。李俊一个踉跄跌入水中，但他凭借过硬水性，几个猛子便游回船边。浑身湿透的他顾不上喘口气，与队友合力将船只控制住。民兵南水北调守井连的前身，是丹江口市民兵应急连，全员都是退役军人。更名之后，民兵守水护水的使命更清晰。对他们来说，守水不是一句口号，而是融入每一天的起航、每一次的劝阻、每一公里的巡查。守井连组建1年来，累计巡查里程超2万公里。去年夏天，丹江口市遭遇城市内涝。守井连民兵蹚着齐腰深的积水，挨家挨户敲门，转移受灾群众。洪水退去，民兵又投入清淤清运工作。此外，守井连还与库区综合执法大队、水利、林业等部门建立联动机制，形成“民兵巡查+部门执法”协作模式。民兵负责一线巡查和现场劝阻，发现违法行为第一时间固定证据，执法部门随后介入。齐华辉说，这套机制运行下来，最大的好处是“反应快、管得住”。夕阳西下，巡逻船调头返航。齐华辉站在船头，望着这片生活了40多年的水域感慨地说：“丹江口人祖祖辈辈靠水吃水，现在这口‘大水井’滋润着更多的人。守着这库水，就是守着我们的生命线。”