The Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) is to issue residents and
tourists with information on flooding and mudslides for the first
time.
Information, such as possible flooding during the rainy season is
collected by the MWR, and is to be available to the public, a
leading flood-control official announced at the weekend at a press
conference in Beijing.
E
Jingping, director of the Beijing-based State Office of
Flood-Control and Drought Prevention, told the media that the
hydrological information the ministry is to offer the public, will
range from a river's water level to rainfall and water quality.
Information on water has become more popular than ever before in
China, with the public's rising awareness of ecosystems, water
experts say. Access to hydrological information is a significant
step towards meeting the needs of the development of a modern
society, E said.
E
and other water officials said that they hope such hydrological
information can play an increasing role in promoting China's
national economy and social progress.
They made it clear that "the opening of China's hydrological
information will enable citizens and researchers to make full use
of such information.
While using hydrological information, E and other water officials
have urged local authorities and citizens to be more concerned
about the development of China's hydrological undertakings.
To
collect hydrological information, more than 50,000 technicians and
hydrologists have been working in over 30,000 hydrological stations
throughout the country, according to a survey released by the
MWR.
Most of the stations are built in deep mountains or remote areas
along rivers and lakes, with harsh working and living conditions
due to a lack of funding.
Last year, only 300 million yuan (US$362,000) was earmarked for
such stations to upgrade their hydrological observation facilities,
most of which were built in the 1950s or 1960s and face severe
ageing, sources with the ministry said.
The ministry has urged local governments to intensify the
protection of hydrological infrastructures and to prevent them from
being destroyed in the years ahead as the economy rapidly
develops.
The ministry has issued hydrological information for the public
through two of its Internet sites: www.mwr.gov.cn and
www.chinawater.net.cn . Both of these sites have been active since
June 1.
All ministry-run hydrological agencies are still in the process of
promoting hydrological information to the public.
(China Daily
10/22/2001)