Try new methods to reduce impact of floods

Reservoirs can play a much bigger role

Zhang Boting, a senior researcher at the China Society for Hydropower Engineering

Official data for 2013 show Hunan alone had 14,121 reservoirs, with many others along the Yangtze River that flows through the province. These reservoirs, if better managed, can play a much bigger role in fighting against and preventing floods.

Reservoirs prevent floods by "reserving" water during the rainy season and "releasing" it during the dry season. According to the rules of water management, reservoirs should release the stored water before the rainy season so that they can accumulate fresh rainwater. But by doing so, the reservoirs will harm their economic interests, because they can continue generating electricity by releasing water even during the rainy reason.

Therefore, coordination and supervision from the higher level are needed to make sure those managing the reservoirs release the stored water before the rainy season.

Of course, if the rainfall is exceptionally heavy, the reservoirs will have no choice but to discharge huge volumes of excessive water, in order to avoid major accidents. And since the discharged water could flood areas downstream, reservoir managements and local governments must maintain close contact, so as to evacuate residents in time to avoid casualties.

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