Water management projects to address drought bolstered

The Ministry of Water Resources has bolstered water diversion through the nation's key water management projects to address the widespread drought affecting northern parts of the country, including Henan, Hebei and Shandong provinces, according to the ministry.

Since May, southern parts of North China, the region between the Yellow and the Huaihe rivers and eastern parts of Northwest China have received very little precipitation. A recent scorching heat wave has raged through many parts of these regions, leaving them further parched, said Chen Min, vice-minister of water resources, in a news conference on Monday.

He said the ministry, together with the river management commissions of the Yellow, Huaihe, and Haihe and the water resources departments of the affected regions, has hammered out an emergency water diversion plan to cope with the situation.

The Xiaolangdi Reservoir in Henan province, for instance, has increased its discharge flow from 1,000 cubic meters per second to 1,800 cubic m/s since June 12, so as to alleviate drought in Henan and Shandong provinces in its downstream, he said.

In Shaanxi province, aside from releasing 800 million cubic meters of water from medium- and large-sized reservoirs, the water resources department has diverted 39.9 million cubic meters of water through its major water diversion projects, he continued.

Generally, thanks to the water diversion measures, "different levels of water resources management authorities have effectively ensured the water supply for production and daily life in drought-hit areas," he said.

He said rains are forecast to fall in some of the drought-plagued areas, creating favorable conditions for drought control. Considering the huge demand for water for irrigation and the extensive size of the parched land, however, the drought may persist in some locations.

The vice-minister vowed all-out efforts from the ministry to cope with any emerging situations.

The ministry will draft even more detailed water transfer plans based on water demand for domestic consumption and irrigation in different regions, he noted.