China's Water Resources Minister Wang Shucheng has warned that
nearly 30,000 reservoirs, or 36 percent of the country's total,
have safety problems that deserve special attention as many areas
of the country have entered the flood season.
The minister, also deputy chief of the National Flood Prevention
and Drought Control Headquarters, said it is key for local
officials to ensure those reservoirs to get through the flood
season safe and sound.
China had 85,288 reservoirs with a combined storage capacity of
559.4 billion cubic meters by the end of 2002. The problems include
worsening seepage and dams in danger of collapsing because of aging
or substandard design.
According to the minister, nearly 30 percent of the reservoirs
with safety problems are large and medium-sized ones, while the
problems are more serious for small ones.
The headquarters, which coordinates the country's flood
prevention and control efforts, has ordered local governments to be
better prepared, including assigning principal officials to oversee
the flood control efforts.
Citing inspection results, the minister said there have been a
lack of sound management mechanism and preparation for possible
flooding for many small reservoirs, including a lack of
early-warning system and communications facilities.
The headquarters has urged local officials to ensure large and
key medium-sized reservoirs would not break down during this flood
season, and other medium-sized and smaller ones will not collapse
in floods within the designed flood control capacity of those
reservoirs.
Officials concerned would be held responsible for safety
accidents involving reservoirs.
The ministry estimated about 33 billion yuan (US$3.9 billion)
will be needed to reinforce all of the dangerous reservoirs, and
all of the substandard reservoirs are scheduled to be upgraded to
the state-set safety standards by 2010.
(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2004)