China News Service, March 23 (Xinhua) According to the website of the Ministry of Water Resources, since the beginning of this year, rainfall and water inflows have continued to be low in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, and local water storage is insufficient. Droughts of varying degrees have occurred in the two provinces. It is predicted that rainfall in dry areas in spring will still be low, and water storage will gradually be depleted. In addition, the temperature will rise rapidly and the water consumption for spring plowing and production will increase. The drought may continue to develop.
Li Guoying, deputy commander-in-chief of the National Defense and Defense Ministry and minister of the Ministry of Water Resources, attaches great importance to drought relief work and requires that consultations be organized immediately to study and understand the drought situation in Yunnan, and effective measures be taken to achieve precise scope, precise targets, precise time periods, and precise measures to ensure the safety of rural drinking water and Seasonal irrigation water needs of crops. On March 22, the Ministry of Water Resources held a special meeting on drought relief, with a video link to the Yunnan Provincial Department of Water Resources and the Yangtze River Water Conservancy Commission and the Pearl River Water Conservancy Commission to analyze and judge the recent and pre-flood rain, water regime, moisture, and drought conditions in Yunnan Province, and provide guidance Drought relief and water supply work in Yunnan Province. First, we must firmly adhere to the bottom line of drinking water safety. Comprehensive measures such as emergency water transfer, time-sharing water supply, and water delivery are adopted to ensure the safety of drinking water for urban and rural people. Special attention must be paid to groups with special difficulties such as rural areas, remote mountainous areas, and disabled elderly people to ensure that no one is left behind. The second is precise irrigation management. Scientifically formulate irrigation water supply plans, optimize and adjust irrigation plans, and strive to achieve precise irrigation to maximize the seasonal irrigation water needs of crops. The third is to strengthen project construction. Accelerate the construction of drought-resistant emergency water source projects, deeply tap the water supply potential, and give full play to the project benefits. Plan early for drought relief emergency projects with short construction periods and quick results, and strive to open up new water sources. The fourth is to strengthen water-saving management. Strengthen water supervision, strictly manage water quotas, promote water-saving measures, and make full use of every drought-resistant water source. The fifth is to coordinate drought relief work in other areas. Strengthen the prediction of drought trends across the country, and plan in advance drought-resistant measures for other drought-prone areas in southwest China, the main winter wheat-producing areas, and northeastern regions. Sixth, we must strictly guard against sudden changes in drought and floods. While dealing with drought, we must make solid preparations for flood control to ensure flood control safety.
The Ministry of Water Resources launched a drought prevention level IV emergency response for Yunnan and Sichuan provinces at 18:00 on March 22; it issued a notice to the water conservancy (water affairs) departments (bureaus) of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, the Water Conservancy Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and all river basin management agencies. The notice put forward clear requirements for drought relief and ensuring spring agricultural water use; a working group was dispatched to Yunnan Province to inspect and guide drought relief work.