The Three Gorges Dam has increased water discharge in a bid to
maintain normal shipping along China's longest river, the Yangtze,
which is currently suffering its worst drought in 50 years.
The discharge speed reached 5,500 cubic meters per second on
Thursday, 300 cubic meters more than Tuesday, when the dam, the
world's largest hydropower project, started the move to alleviate
the effects of drought, according to the China Three Gorges Project
Corporation (CTGPC), the dam builder.
Less rainfall inflow along the upper reaches of the river has
lowered water level by up to 2 meters in the middle reaches, and
the average water level has decreased by 1.5 meters more than
normal.
At least 26 cargo ships have been stranded in the section that
encompasses Yichang, Wuhan, Jingzhou of Hubei Province and
Jiujiang, Hukou of the neighboring Jiangxi Province, over the past
month, according to the Yangtze River Maritime Administration
(YRMA).
By Thursday afternoon, water level in the Yichang section,
almost the start of the middle reaches, has regained 0.5
meters.
The discharge is scheduled to last until Tuesday and the CTGPC
will decide whether to continue or suspend the move according to
the state of the river.
YRMA issued an emergency warning on Wednesday, reminding cargo
ships to avoid being stranded in the middle reaches.
According to an order issued by Yichang Maritime Bureau, every
cargo ship must undergo weight checks at eight harbors in Yichang
City and unload excess goods before continuing.
An average of 170 cargo ships will navigate along the route
every day.
More than 1,000 workers, 100 boats and 18 dredgers are digging
out silt in the river maintaining the route to ensure safety for
passing ships.
The Yangtze, which stretches 6,300 km, suffers a dry season
between November and April. This is often followed by a spring
flood.
The Three Gorges Dam, built between the upper and middle reaches
of the river, will unleash water reserves to alleviate the drought
or hold up floods before they inundate downstream regions.
(Xinhua News Agency, December 7, 2007)