Finding ways to keep the water flowing

In recent years, China has faced natural disasters resulting from extreme weather conditions. What progress has the ministry made in addressing climate challenges?

China pursues a people and life-first approach as it works to strengthen the construction of its water and drought control systems.

At present, a flood control system consisting of reservoirs, watercourses, embankments and flood detention areas is essentially complete along major rivers. Through the measures of interception, diversion, storage, detention and discharge, it has achieved the ability to largely protect itself against the largest floods to have occurred since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

The country is also able to ensure the security of urban and rural water supply and minimize losses to drought.

In terms of non-engineering measures, monitoring, forecasting and warning capabilities have been improved. There are now 120,000 monitoring stations for water resources management, and the time required to collect information from them all dropped to just 15 minutes. The flood forecast accuracy for major rivers in the south and north stands at 90 percent and 70 percent, respectively.

In recent years, the ministry has successfully overcome severe flooding in major rivers and lakes thanks to its engineering and non-engineering systems.

We have also been able to mitigate rare droughts in the Yangtze River and Pearl River basins, guaranteeing safety of lives and property, and the security of water supply and food production.