Yangtze tributary reservoir stores more water for diversion project

The Danjiangkou reservoir on the Hanjiang River, a major tributary of the Yangtze, has stored much more water this year due to the autumn flood, which guarantees the water supply for the south-to-north water diversion project.

The water level of the reservoir in Central China's Hubei province stood at 167 meters at 2 am Sunday, 6.28 meters higher than its previous record level, according to the Yangtze River flood control headquarters.

Currently, the reservoir stores 26 billion cubic meters of water, 10.7 billion cubic meters more than its volume at the same time last year.

The hydropower station is in normal operations. The water volume has guaranteed the water supply for the middle route of the south-to-north water diversion project, which started operations in 2014.

The middle route of the project carries water through canals and pipes from Danjiangkou to the cities of Beijing and Tianjin, and the provinces of Hebei and Henan.

Water levels at the Danjiangkou Reservoir in Nanyang, one source of the South-North Water Diversion Project, also reached a record high of 161.24 meters in September, breaking the record of 160.72 meters set in October 2014, according to data released by Changjiang Water Resources Commission.

The original Danjiangkou dam was completed in 1973 with a height of 162 meters. To serve the water diversion project, the dam has been raised to 176.6 meters.