Every summer in China there is extensive problems in the south from too much water and extensive problems in the north caused by lack of water.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/05/content_11657687.htm
China allocates 126 mln yuan for south China flood relief
www.chinaview.cn 2009-07-05 21:35:34 Print
BEIJING, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has allocated more than 126 million yuan (about 18.4 U.S. dollars) for disaster relief in six worst rainstorm-hit provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities in south China, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said here Sunday.
The six provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities include Guangxi, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou and Chongqing.
A total of 5,200 tents were also sent to Guangxi, Jiangxi and Hunan to provide shelter for the people displaced there, the ministry said.
While Beijing and neighboring provinces are fighting heat waves, the southern half of the country has been drenched in rain or flood since late June.
The latest round of rainstorms and flood, also this year's worst according to the ministry, had battered 12 provinces, killing 75 people and leaving another 13 missing and 938,000 homeless as of 4 p.m. Sunday.
Close to 40 million people were affected by the rainstorms and the flood, it said, adding that a total of 101,000 houses were toppled in the flood, causing over 13 billion yuan (about 1.9 billion U.S. dollars) in direct economic losses, it said.
Editor: Wang Guanqun
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Flooding in Central China, July 4, 2009
It's been a while since I've worked on this blog, my second blog, but I am thinking of taking it up again.
To see a map of the effected area click here.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/03/content_11645891.htm
Rain-triggered landslide leaves six dead, one missing in central China
CHANGSHA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Six people are dead and another is missing after rains triggered a landslide in central China's Hunan Province Thursday, the local government said.
The landslide happened in Shuangfeng County, which saw an average rainfall of 100 mm Thursday, the county government said in a statement Friday.
It toppled at least two homes in Shiniu Village, killing a family of four and leaving another villager missing. Two more deaths were reported in the neighboring towns of Santangpu and Heye.
The local government on Thursday closed two of the county's five bridges to all vehicles and pedestrians, and sent security guards to keep watch at the other three, as safety precautions.
As of Friday, the rainstorm has destroyed 3,800 homes, 800 embankments and almost 40,000 hectares of cropland in the county, the local flood control office said.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs sent a disaster relief team to Hunan Thursday night.
Rainstorms that started on Sunday have battered 22 areas across the country, killing 95 people and leaving 21 missing, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said Wednesday.
It said the rainstorms caused 10.78 billion yuan (1.48 billion U.S. dollars) in direct economic losses.
To see a map of the effected area click here.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/03/content_11645891.htm
Rain-triggered landslide leaves six dead, one missing in central China
CHANGSHA, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Six people are dead and another is missing after rains triggered a landslide in central China's Hunan Province Thursday, the local government said.
The landslide happened in Shuangfeng County, which saw an average rainfall of 100 mm Thursday, the county government said in a statement Friday.
It toppled at least two homes in Shiniu Village, killing a family of four and leaving another villager missing. Two more deaths were reported in the neighboring towns of Santangpu and Heye.
The local government on Thursday closed two of the county's five bridges to all vehicles and pedestrians, and sent security guards to keep watch at the other three, as safety precautions.
As of Friday, the rainstorm has destroyed 3,800 homes, 800 embankments and almost 40,000 hectares of cropland in the county, the local flood control office said.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs sent a disaster relief team to Hunan Thursday night.
Rainstorms that started on Sunday have battered 22 areas across the country, killing 95 people and leaving 21 missing, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said Wednesday.
It said the rainstorms caused 10.78 billion yuan (1.48 billion U.S. dollars) in direct economic losses.
Friday, June 12, 2009
June 12: China suspends work on two Jinsha River dams
This story deals with hydroelectric dams on the Jinsha River.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-06/12/content_8279027.htm
China suspends key hydropower projects
By Li Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-06-12 16:04
Comments(4) PrintMail
The fate of a 200-billion yuan investment in eight hydropower stations along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River is in question, as the national environmental watchdog has blocked it citing environmental concerns.
China suspends key hydropower projects
The Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) yesterday suspended approval for hydropower projects along the middle reaches of Jinsha River, after finding that two dams had been illegally constructed on it.
The Ludila hydropower project by Huadian Power, and the Longkaikou project by Huaneng Power, both located in Lijiang, Yunnan province, blocked the river for the construction effort in January, without reviewing their environmental impact, Tao Detian, the ministry's spokesman said.
Building dams without proper designs and environmental protection measures would damage the water ecology, both upriver and downriver, as well as negatively impact local communities, Tao said.
The MEP said it would further debate the environmental and ecological risks of building hydropower stations along the river. "Before that, the MEP will not approve any new hydro projects," he said. "For the approved projects, supplementary environmental reviews will be needed."
Jinsha River, the 2,300 km section of the Yangtze River from Yushu in Qinghai province to Yibin in Sichuan, is rich in hydropower resources and home to diverse ethnic minority groups as well as some of China's most important biodiversity hot spots.
A string of eight hydropower projects have been planned for the middle reaches of the Jinsha River, or the 564 km section in Yunnan province. With a budget of 200 billion yuan, the total installed capacity is expected to touch 20.58 gW, about the same as the massive Three Gorges dam hydropower project.
Among the cascading hydropower works, Jin'anqiao dam is already getting built, and the environment impact assessment of the A'hai project had won approval from the MEP earlier this year.
The plan for the first of the cascading projects, a hydropower plant at Tiger Leaping Gorge, was suspended as a result of public disputes in 2005.
"The hydropower resource along the Jinsha River is already being over exploited, which will damage the ecological security in the region." said Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs.
Jinsha River pools the most precious fish species of the Yangtze, said Ma, and building cascading hydropower works will lead to irreversible loss of aquatic biodiversity.
"All the available mitigation measures, such as artificial breeding, will not be able to eliminate the damage," Ma said.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-06/12/content_8279027.htm
China suspends key hydropower projects
By Li Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-06-12 16:04
Comments(4) PrintMail
The fate of a 200-billion yuan investment in eight hydropower stations along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River is in question, as the national environmental watchdog has blocked it citing environmental concerns.
China suspends key hydropower projects
The Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) yesterday suspended approval for hydropower projects along the middle reaches of Jinsha River, after finding that two dams had been illegally constructed on it.
The Ludila hydropower project by Huadian Power, and the Longkaikou project by Huaneng Power, both located in Lijiang, Yunnan province, blocked the river for the construction effort in January, without reviewing their environmental impact, Tao Detian, the ministry's spokesman said.
Building dams without proper designs and environmental protection measures would damage the water ecology, both upriver and downriver, as well as negatively impact local communities, Tao said.
The MEP said it would further debate the environmental and ecological risks of building hydropower stations along the river. "Before that, the MEP will not approve any new hydro projects," he said. "For the approved projects, supplementary environmental reviews will be needed."
Jinsha River, the 2,300 km section of the Yangtze River from Yushu in Qinghai province to Yibin in Sichuan, is rich in hydropower resources and home to diverse ethnic minority groups as well as some of China's most important biodiversity hot spots.
A string of eight hydropower projects have been planned for the middle reaches of the Jinsha River, or the 564 km section in Yunnan province. With a budget of 200 billion yuan, the total installed capacity is expected to touch 20.58 gW, about the same as the massive Three Gorges dam hydropower project.
Among the cascading hydropower works, Jin'anqiao dam is already getting built, and the environment impact assessment of the A'hai project had won approval from the MEP earlier this year.
The plan for the first of the cascading projects, a hydropower plant at Tiger Leaping Gorge, was suspended as a result of public disputes in 2005.
"The hydropower resource along the Jinsha River is already being over exploited, which will damage the ecological security in the region." said Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs.
Jinsha River pools the most precious fish species of the Yangtze, said Ma, and building cascading hydropower works will lead to irreversible loss of aquatic biodiversity.
"All the available mitigation measures, such as artificial breeding, will not be able to eliminate the damage," Ma said.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
January 7, 2009: China Water: Drought in Shanxi
Drought in the northeast, specifically in Shanxi province.
See: Shanxi map
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/07/content_10619496.htm
Prolonged drought hits parts of north, east China
www.chinaview.cn 2009-01-07 19:13:13 Print
TAIYUAN, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Six provinces in north and east China are battling a prolonged drought that has affected water supplies for people, livestock and agriculture.
Nearly 1 million people and 160,000 head of livestock in Shanxi have faced difficulties getting drinking water due to the prolonged drought since October, the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said on Wednesday.
The province has had no rain since late November, it said, and the drought has affected 520,000 hectare of wheat land, 140,000 ha severely.
Irrigation facilities were fully commissioned and new wells were dug. Staff are being organized to transport drinking water to people who have difficulties getting it.
The drought has also hit other provinces such as Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Anhui and Gansu, all major wheat producers.
Anhui water resource authorities said the affected areas had mobilized more than 600,000 people and commissioned 30,000 wells to combat drought, with subsidies for farmers in certain areas.
The Ministry of Agriculture said Tuesday the six provinces had had 5.42 million ha of drought-hit cropland, almost five times the area last year.
The ministry said it had dispatched working teams to the provinces to help with the drought relief work.
A full calculation of the number of people short of drinking water is not available.
Editor: Yang Lina
See: Shanxi map
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/07/content_10619496.htm
Prolonged drought hits parts of north, east China
www.chinaview.cn 2009-01-07 19:13:13 Print
TAIYUAN, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Six provinces in north and east China are battling a prolonged drought that has affected water supplies for people, livestock and agriculture.
Nearly 1 million people and 160,000 head of livestock in Shanxi have faced difficulties getting drinking water due to the prolonged drought since October, the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said on Wednesday.
The province has had no rain since late November, it said, and the drought has affected 520,000 hectare of wheat land, 140,000 ha severely.
Irrigation facilities were fully commissioned and new wells were dug. Staff are being organized to transport drinking water to people who have difficulties getting it.
The drought has also hit other provinces such as Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Anhui and Gansu, all major wheat producers.
Anhui water resource authorities said the affected areas had mobilized more than 600,000 people and commissioned 30,000 wells to combat drought, with subsidies for farmers in certain areas.
The Ministry of Agriculture said Tuesday the six provinces had had 5.42 million ha of drought-hit cropland, almost five times the area last year.
The ministry said it had dispatched working teams to the provinces to help with the drought relief work.
A full calculation of the number of people short of drinking water is not available.
Editor: Yang Lina
Sunday, December 7, 2008
China Water Blog: December 7, 2008: Shanghai meets lower water and air pollution measurement goals.
This story talks about a reducation in "chemical oxygen demand" in Shanghai as a measure of water pollution levels.
According to http://www.water-technology.net/glossary/chemical-oxygen-demand.html "Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is the measurement of the amount of oxygen in water consumed for chemical oxidation of pollutants."
According to http://www.water-technology.net/glossary/chemical-oxygen-demand.html "Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is the measurement of the amount of oxygen in water consumed for chemical oxidation of pollutants."
Wikipedia, naturally, has an essay on the subject: see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_oxygen_demand
They cynic in me wonders if the reduction is real or paper-only and even if it is real, how much of the pollution has just been shifted elsewhere, perhaps to somewhere not too far from Shanghai?
Nevertheless, see . . .
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/print.asp?id=383422
Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=383422&type=Metro
Pollution targets may be reached early
Created: 2008-12-6
Author:Cai Wenjun
SHANGHAI is expected to meet a target to reduce water and air pollution half a year ahead of schedule, officials from Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau said yesterday.
The city has pledged to cut sulfur dioxide levels 26 percent from 2005-levels and reduce its chemical oxygen demand, or COD, discharge to 259,000 tons by 2010, a 15 percent decrease from 2005. COD is a measure of water pollution. Sulfur dioxide is a serious air pollutant.
The city government said yesterday that it would pour more money into the green schemes, investing 80 billion yuan (US$11.63 billion) on more than 180 projects.
The projects are part of the fourth Three-Year Environmental Protection Action Plan.
The city has invested 180 billion yuan since the first three-year plan in 2000.
"There is a huge increase of budget for the fourth three-year action plan, almost doubling that in the third round," said Fan Xianbiao, vice director of the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau. "A lot of money will be used on infrastructure construction and on equipment for monitoring emissions."
"We are confident that there will be a significant reduction of sulfur dioxide and COD discharge next year, and we'll hit our 2010 goals half a year early," he said.
The bureau will hold a forum on Friday for experts from China and abroad to evaluate the performances of the previous three environmental action plans and gather suggestions for the fourth.
"We will also take in local residents' suggestions," Fan said. "We plan to distribute pamphlets to local residents, give out awards to green schools and green communities, and set up an environmental protection exhibition at Shanghai Children's Museum next year."
Copyright © 2001-2008 Shanghai Daily Publishing House
December 7, 2008: Vietnam Water: Flooding preparations
http://www.travbuddy.com/Water-water-every-where-Nor-any-drop-to-drink-v293763
From the blog www.travbuddy.com we have some interesting tips on surviving and preparing for a flood. Worth reading.
From the blog www.travbuddy.com we have some interesting tips on surviving and preparing for a flood. Worth reading.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
China Water: November 04, 2008: Xinjiang water --Tarim river
This story is a little bit confusing, probably due to confusion by the writer or else translator or perhaps both. It appears that sections of the Tarim river have dried up and therefore the government has taken to "injecting" water somewhere, probably into the ground to raise the level of the underground aquifer. I will try to do an update on the situation if my time allows.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/english/200011/03/eng20001103_54317.html
China Injects Water Into Dry River Course
China began discharging water into the dry lower reaches of the Tarim River, the longest inland river in China, at 1 pm Friday.
The operation, the second launched this year, is expected to play a very important role in maintaining sound ecology along the section of the Tarim River, experts said.
A total of 220 million cubic meters of water will be injected into the 180-kilometer section of the dry river course from Friday until February 15, 2001. The first operation between April 30 and July 20 sent 100 million cubic meters of water into the dry river section.
The 1,321-kilometer-long Tarim River runs from west to east along the northern verge of the Taklimakan Desert, the biggest moving desert in the country, and flows into the Taitema Lake in Xinjiang Autonomous Region.
The 320-kilometer-long section of the lower reaches of the river and the Taitema Lake dried up in 1972 following the construction of a reservoir on the river which blocked water from flowing into the lower reaches.
Sources from the local water resources department said that the water was diverted from the Bosten Lake, 530 kilometers away, into the Daxihaizi Reservoir, the current terminal of the Tarim River, and then discharged into the dry lower reaches.
Monitoring data of the Ministry of Water Resources show that the first water-injecting operation raised the underground water level of the river course by 3.15 meters, and remarkable increases were also recorded in areas along both banks of the river.
Zhang Fawang, director of the bureau for management of Tarim River valley, said that the current operation will help raise the underground water level by more than 3 meters on the current level.
Before the first water-injecting operation, the underground water level was seven to nine meters under the earth surface.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/english/200011/03/eng20001103_54317.html
China Injects Water Into Dry River Course
China began discharging water into the dry lower reaches of the Tarim River, the longest inland river in China, at 1 pm Friday.
The operation, the second launched this year, is expected to play a very important role in maintaining sound ecology along the section of the Tarim River, experts said.
A total of 220 million cubic meters of water will be injected into the 180-kilometer section of the dry river course from Friday until February 15, 2001. The first operation between April 30 and July 20 sent 100 million cubic meters of water into the dry river section.
The 1,321-kilometer-long Tarim River runs from west to east along the northern verge of the Taklimakan Desert, the biggest moving desert in the country, and flows into the Taitema Lake in Xinjiang Autonomous Region.
The 320-kilometer-long section of the lower reaches of the river and the Taitema Lake dried up in 1972 following the construction of a reservoir on the river which blocked water from flowing into the lower reaches.
Sources from the local water resources department said that the water was diverted from the Bosten Lake, 530 kilometers away, into the Daxihaizi Reservoir, the current terminal of the Tarim River, and then discharged into the dry lower reaches.
Monitoring data of the Ministry of Water Resources show that the first water-injecting operation raised the underground water level of the river course by 3.15 meters, and remarkable increases were also recorded in areas along both banks of the river.
Zhang Fawang, director of the bureau for management of Tarim River valley, said that the current operation will help raise the underground water level by more than 3 meters on the current level.
Before the first water-injecting operation, the underground water level was seven to nine meters under the earth surface.
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