Visitors can often witness several kinds of waterfowl swimming and soaring in a single vista.

Over 80,000 migrating gulls fluttered into the area last year. The birds stay five months, starting in October.

Part of the environmental restoration that has propelled Dianchi's ecotourism is its water treatment.

Water is pumped from treatment plants using gravity rather than electricity.

The first was built in 1991. Today, 11 pump purify 55.5million cubic meters of water from residences and businesses using anaerobic systems.

The last line of defense before Dianchi's shores are plants No 7 and 8, which combine to create the city's largest treatment center. They process 300,000 cubic meters daily.

The processed water poured into the lake until 2014. It wasn't pure enough to stem blue-green-algae flourishes. So it's now sent to places like nearby Anning city for industrial use.

Today, Dianchi Lake's legacy, boisterous biodiversity and stunning sceneries remind us environmental protection isn't only green but also blue.

About this series

China Daily explores the country's shades of green in this series.