Objective Huizhou has a long history of traditional water conservancy construction, which can be traced back to Baonanhui project built in 327 AD during Northern and Southern Dynasties. The traditional agricultural water conservancy endeavors in Huizhou embarked on an early and formidable journey, characterized by their vast scale and remarkable sophistication, standing as the epitome of water conservancy advancements within Anhui Province, where the interplay between the unique geographical contours featuring rolling hills and rivers, and the prevailing monsoon climate, fosters a distinct human settlement pattern anchored around water management structures. These structures not only facilitate irrigation but also shape the very fabric of societal organization and cultural identity. In the process of modernization, the traditional water conservancy landscape in Huizhou is increasingly marginalized, and it is urgent to identify and protect the integrity of its historical lineage. The purpose of this research is to sort out the water conservancy system of the region and explore the characteristics of the irrigation landscape system and settlement pattern under the dominance of water conservancy, with a view to providing experience and reference for the protection and development of traditional water conservancy culture.

Methods The basic data of this research originates from the review, integration and combing of historical materials such as local records, monographs, historical opinion maps, old photos, and historical remote sensing images. Through the ArcGIS platform, the modern remote sensing images (2015), the aerial map of the area produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in 1969 and water conservancy settlement elements are integrated into a unified coordinate system, a comprehensive database with multiple spatial scales, time dimensions, and data types is constructed, and subsequent analysis is carried out by a combination of mapping methods. On this basis, the research analyzes the spatial pattern of human settlements supported by water conservancy from the three perspectives of macro region, meso irrigation area and micro village, and analyzes the hydrological construction method of human settlements in typical irrigation areas in the 1970s by taking the Tangyue and Lyu’e irrigation areas as examples.

Results In the Shexiebei area, dammed canal (e’ba) and retention pond (“beitang”) together constitute the main form of irrigation and serve as the dominant factor in shaping the settlement pattern. At the macro level, dammed canals are located in the altitude of low flat river bank, while are located in the terrain of low mountain terraces, and different types of water conservancy projects vary in the degree of their support for local human settlements, which is significantly correlated with regional population distribution and, to a certain extent, reflects that the water conservancy of dammed canals can bring higher social organization benefits than that of retention ponds. At the meso level, the links between communities in the irrigation areas of dammed canals are more extensive and diversified, reflected as different management modes, such as single-clan dominance, multi-clan co-construction, and civil repair under government supervision, whereas the irrigation areas of retention ponds can hardly form a large-scale organization of water management due to the limited irrigation area and privatization of retention ponds. At the micro level, water conservancy facilities also have a profound impact on the site selection and construction of settlements; the layout of settlements based on retention ponds with pond as the nucleus, that of settlements based on dammed canals with canal as the axis, and that of mixed-type settlements with water as the vein are all affected by water conservancy, and regional village pattern is typically featured by building by water and living by water.

Conclusion For a long time, through the practice of water resource utilization and management, people have created the cultural wealth of water conservancy with rich historical connotations and regional characteristics, which constitutes the main content of the cultural value of water conservancy heritage. In addition to engineering entities, the values of agricultural and cultural landscapes derived from traditional water conservancy systems should also be emphasized. This research uses water conservancy as a clue to study the characteristics of settlements, demonstrates the supportive role of the element of water conservancy for traditional farming society at all scales, and provides a new approach and methodology for regional development dominated by water conservancy. In the ongoing process of rejuvenating traditional irrigation areas, leveraging water conservancy as a pivotal force that spurs regional paradigm shifts and economic vitality holds immense potential. By embracing water conservancy heritage and the distinctive farmland landscapes that are emblematic of the Shexibei area as tangible cornerstones, this research endeavors to not only preserve but also harness these assets for transformation. Furthermore, the seamless integration of intangible elements, encompassing rich historical narratives, cultural traditions, and the intricate web of social ties and heritage, offers a unique opportunity to enrich the narrative and texture of these landscapes.