Main Water Resource Development Goals for The Next Five Years

Main Water Resource Development Goals for The Next Five Years

● The system for flood control and disaster relief should be upgraded. Floodcontrol systems for major rivers and lakes should be built. Broken dikes for water reservoirs should be repaired. An early warning and monitoring system for landslides and floods should be developed.The proportion of annual direct economic losses from flooding should be reduced to less than 0.7 percent of the GDP.

● The water supply guarantee system in urban and rural areas should be optim ized. China w ill add 40 billion cubic meters of water supply each year. The proportion of direct economic losses resulting from drought should be reduced to less than 1.1 percent of the GDP.

● Irrigation in rural areas should be improved significantly. Repair work w ill be carried out in 70 percent of large irrigation areas and 50 percent of mediumsized irrigated areas. About 2.7 m illion hectares of irrigated farm land w ill be added, and new ly added rural hydropower capacity w ill reach 10 million kw.

● The utilization efficiency of water resources w ill be greatly improved. The rate of water consumption w ill be reduced to less than 140 cubic meters per 10,000 yuan ($1,580) of the GDP and less than 80 cubic meters per 10,000 yuan of the industrial value added.

● Progress must be made in the aquatic environment protection. The government will guarantee that 60 percent of major rivers, lakes and reservoirs meet national water quality standards. About 250,000 square km of soil erosion areas w ill be properly managed. The overexploitation of underground water will be stopped.

● Law s and rules must be established to guide w ater management.Water-related natural disasters should be properly prevented.

● China will set up a strict water resources management system, and establish a framework of water resources investment w ith public financing as the major channel. A water pricing mechanism will be set up.

● Scientific innovation in the irrigation and water conservation sector w ill be promoted, the ranks of irrigation and water conservancy workers w ill be expanded, and related public service capacity w ill be significantly increased.(Source:Ministry of Water Resources)