Digging started on a new river in Yangpu District yesterday to increase the coverage of downtown waterways and improve the district’s flood prevention ability.

The over 400-meter-long Green River in the New Jiangwan Town is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. Upon its completion, it will connect with another two artificial rivers to create a 5-kilometer-long waterway, the Yangpu District government said.

“The waterways in the community will cover some 98,000 square meters to improve the ecological environment and flood resistance of the city’s north downtown,” said Chen Weiguo, deputy director of the Yangpu construction management committee.

The land for the waterway development is on the site of the former military-owned Jiangwan airport. The airport built in 1939 was once the largest in the east Asia. The site later became a natural wetland after the airport was abandoned.

Five artificial rivers have been planned for the area to simulate a typical waterway system of a water town in the south Yangtze River, according to the government. Three rivers have been completed and the rest will be finished by the year-end.

Among them, the Weisan River opened to the public in April. The sightseeing river covers about 20,000 square meters and features riverside walkways, greenery and sightseeing platforms for nearby residents. The river will also help improve the water quality of other waterways in the region, according to the government.

The Yangpu government launched a campaign in 2016 to improve the water quality of rivers across the district. Four polluted rivers — the Qiujiang, East Zoumatang, Nenjiang and Xiaojipu — have been purified, the government said.