In the 2020s, water shortages in the Yellow River Basin have become increasingly severe, particularly affecting major cities such as Zhengzhou in Henan Province and Lanzhou in Gansu Province, where water supply remains unstable. The Yellow River supplies water to approximately 160 million people, or 12% of China's total population, and serves as a crucial water source for agricultural areas in the North China Plain and industrial regions in Shanxi Province and Inner Mongolia. However, due to the impacts of climate change, reduced precipitation, and excessive irrigation, the flow of the Yellow River has significantly decreased in recent years, with an annual water shortage of approximately 3 billion cubic meters reported.
This has led to reduced production of crops such as wheat, corn, and cotton, particularly affecting farmers in Henan and Shandong provinces. Additionally, industrial production has also been disrupted, with water supply shortages impacting the operation of factories in the heavy industrial zones along the Yellow River.
The government has been utilizing the Three Gorges Dam and the Xiaolangdi Dam, located in Henan Province, to regulate water levels. These dams store water during floods and release it during dry periods to stabilize the water supply. However, the storage and release capacities of these dams have not been sufficient to fully address the water shortage problem. In 2020, parts of the Yellow River temporarily dried up, severely affecting agricultural and urban water demands.
Furthermore, the State Grid is working to improve the efficiency of hydropower generation in the upstream areas of the Yellow River in Qinghai Province and Sichuan Province, with advancements such as pumped-storage hydropower and new hydropower technologies. However, more technological innovation is needed as water resource management remains insufficient.
Additionally, water pollution caused by industrial wastewater in the industrial zones along the Yellow River is another major issue. In Shanxi Province and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, chemical factories and power plants have been reported to cause pollution, with heavy metals and chemical substances negatively affecting water quality. In response, the government has implemented strict discharge regulations and is strengthening wastewater treatment facilities, but pollution remains a serious concern.
Overall, sustainable water resource management in the Yellow River Basin is urgently needed, along with measures to address water shortages and improve water quality.
No comments:
Post a Comment