Residents in Jixian County of north China's Shanxi Province have found that the Hukou Waterfall on the Yellow River has recently turned clear, something rarely seen once in a century.
Experts attributed the rare phenomenon, which began in mid- to late May, partly to a long drought this year, as sharply reduced surface flow brought much less silt into the 5,464 km long river, China's second largest after the Yangtze.
To ease the widespread drought, water from the reservoirs on the upper reaches has been released at regular intervals to the lower reaches.
The clear and green waterfall will become muddy and brown again as the rain season comes, experts said.
The Hukou Waterfall, about 46 km west of Jixian county seat, is a well-known tourist attraction in north China.
(China Daily)
