The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government and the Ministry of
Water Resources program to develop the Tarim River, the longest
inland river in China, includes building flood-control dykes,
cleaning silt out of the river and laying roads across the Gobi
Desert. This is one of China's major water projects outlined in the
Tenth Five-year Plan.
Project to Tackle the Tarim River
The Tarim River is the longest inland river in China. To save the
disappearing Green Corridor in the river's lower reaches, Xinjiang
Uygur Autonomous Region government and the Ministry of Water
Resources have drafted a program to tackle Tarim River in the near
future. The first phase of the project includes building
flood-control dyke and ecological gate, cleaning silt out of the
river, laying roads across the Gobi Desert, adopting water-saving
irrigation and preserving ecological environment.
South-to-North Water Diversion Project
The South-to-North Water Diversion Project is a strategic solution
project for thirsty north China. Altogether 45 billion cubic meters
(11.88 trillion gallons) of water will be diverted from the lower,
middle and upper reaches of Yangtze River through the eastern,
central, and western routes to Huanghuaihai Plain, Jiaodong region
and the upper and middle reaches of Yellow River, especially at the
areas of north China.
According to the eastern project, water will be diverted from a
major branch of Yangtze River near Yangzhou city. It will go
through existing river ways to Weishan mountain in Shandong
Province. Then through a tunnel across the Yellow River, water can
flow to Tianjin city. The trunk line of the whole water line totals
1156 km (718 miles). The West-to-East water transfer project will
be built in Dongping Lake south of the Yellow River to transfer
water to Jiaodong area with a water line of 700 km (434 miles). The
short-term eastern project plans to divert 9 billion cubic meters
(2.37 trillion gallons) of water by pumping 500 cubic meters (132
thousand gallons) per second from the Yangtze River.
The central project plans to divert water from Danjiangkou
reservoir of the Han River, a tributary of the Yangtze River in its
middle reach. New canals will be built near the west edge of the
Huanghuaihai Plain to let water flow through Henan and Hebei
Provinces to Beijing. The trunk water line totals 1, 267 km (787
miles) in length. Tianjin will draw water from the trunk line near
Xushui County in Hebei Province through the 154-km-long (95 miles)
canal. The short-term central route project plans to transfer 9.5
billion cubic meters (2.5 trillion gallons) of water.
Nierji Water Control Project on the Nenjiang River
Nierji Water Control Project lies in the middle reach of the
Nenjiang River in Heilongjiang Province. It is a comprehensive
water control project for flood-control, urban and suburban water
supply, power generation, irrigation, shipping and ecological
environment water consumption. The reservoir will have a storage
capacity of 8.61 billion cubic meters (2.27 trillion gallons) with
2.3 billion cubic meters (607 billion gallons) of flood-control
capacity. The power station will have an installed capacity of
250,000 kilowatts. The largest dyke will be some 41.5 meters (25.7
miles) in height. After the project is completed, flood-control
ability in Qiqihar city will be improved enough to resist 100-year
flood from 50-year flood previously. The upper stream of Qiqihar
city could also resist 50-year flood along with substantial
improvement of flood-control ability at the down steam of the
river.
Zibingpu Water Control Project in Sichuan Province
Zibingpu water project is a water resource distribution project for
Dujiangyan irrigation area located in the upper reaches of Minjiang
River. The project aims to improve city water use and irrigation
along with other benefits such as power generation, flood-control,
environmental protection and tourism. The reservoir will have
storage capacity of 1.112 billion cubic meters (293 billion
gallons) with 774 million cubic meters (204 billion gallons) being
effective capacity. The highest dam is 156 meters (511 feet). Its
power station has an installed capacity of 760,000 kilowatts. The
reservoir, after its completion, will improve ecological water use
and enhance flood-control ability in the lower reaches of the
Minjiang River and improve irrigation of Dujiangyan area. The
reservoir will be able to supply 1.557 billion cubic meters (411
billion gallons) of water for Chengdu city's industrial and daily
use every year.
Shapotou Water Control Project on the Yellow River
The aim of the Yellow River Shapotou water control project is
irrigation and power generation. After the project is completed, a
dyke will be set up for drawing water so as to improve irrigation
and help save water by drawing less 502 million cubic meters (132
billion gallons) water than 1.547 billion cubic meters (408 billion
gallons) now.
Baise Water Control Project in Guangxi Province
Baise water control project is 22 km (13 miles) away from Baise
city at the upper reach of Youjiang River. It is a comprehensive
project mainly for flood-control along with other benefits such as
power generation, shipping, and water supply. The reservoir will
have a storage capacity of 5.6 billion cubic meters (1.47 trillion
gallons) with 1.64 billion cubic meters (433 billion gallons) of
flood-control capacity. Its dyke is 130 meters high (426 feet).
Following its completion, flood-control ability in Nanning city,
the capital of Guangxi Province, will be improved to resist 50-year
flood.
Linhuaigang Flood Control Project on the Huaihe River
This significant flood control project is located in the middle
reaches of the Huaihe River. The detention reservoir will have a
storage capacity of 8.56 billion cubic meters (2.26 trillion
gallons). Following its completion, flood-control ability in rivers
downstream from Zhengyangguan will be raised to resist 100-year
flood.
Zaoshi City Water Control Project in Hunan Province
The Zaoshi city water control project is a comprehensive project
designed mainly for flood-control along with other benefits such as
power generation, irrigation, shipping, and tourism. The reservoir
will have storage capacity of 1.44 billion cubic meters (380
billion gallons) with 780 million cubic meters (206 billion
gallons) of flood-control capacity. Its dyke is up to 82 meters
(269 feet) in height. The power station will have an installed
capacity of 150,000 kilowatts. Following its completion and
connection with the Jiangya reservoir, flood-control of Songli
Plain will be able to resist 20-year flood. It will be able to
irrigate 396 acres more of farmland.
(每日電訊 [Xinhua
Daily Telegraph], translated by Alex Xu for china.org.cn February
27, 2002)