South-to-North Water South-to-North Water Transfer ProjectTransfer Project

Largest Water Diversion Plan to Largest Water Diversion Plan to Kick Off Kick Off • The construction of China's largest water diversion prThe construction of China's largest water diversion pr

oject is expected to oject is expected to begin next yearbegin next year, channeling water , channeling water from the Yangtze River for thirsty people and scorched from the Yangtze River for thirsty people and scorched lands to the north. lands to the north.

• The plan calls for The plan calls for 2,400-kilometre canals2,400-kilometre canals to be built in to be built in each of the first two phases of the project's east and meach of the first two phases of the project's east and middle lines to link the Yangtze to the drought-stricken niddle lines to link the Yangtze to the drought-stricken north. orth.

• By 2015, the project will By 2015, the project will divert some 16 billion cubic mdivert some 16 billion cubic metres of water from the Yangtze into areas north of the etres of water from the Yangtze into areas north of the Yellow RiverYellow River that includes the major cities of Beijing, T that includes the major cities of Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang. ianjin and Shijiazhuang.

16 Jan 2001, People’s Daily16 Jan 2001, People’s Daily

南水北调北京段全面开工 南水北调北京段全面开工 0808 年黄年黄河水将调入北京河水将调入北京

• 北京晚报讯（记者王军华）今天，南水北调中北京晚报讯（记者王军华）今天，南水北调中线北京段应急供水工程十个单项工程之一线北京段应急供水工程十个单项工程之一 ------ 北京北京西四环暗涵工程正式开工建设，这标志着全长西四环暗涵工程正式开工建设，这标志着全长 8080公里的公里的 20052005 年南水北调中线北京段进入全面建设年南水北调中线北京段进入全面建设阶段。西四环暗涵工程不仅要从五棵松地铁站下阶段。西四环暗涵工程不仅要从五棵松地铁站下方穿过，还将在西四环立交桥桩基中间穿过，施方穿过，还将在西四环立交桥桩基中间穿过，施工难度非常大。工难度非常大。

(28.5.2005) (28.5.2005) 北京晚报 北京晚报

Why is the project Why is the project necessary?necessary?

Large-scale engineering Large-scale engineering worksworks

East LineEast Line

• the east-line formula is to transfer water the east-line formula is to transfer water from the lower reaches of the Yangtze Rifrom the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, which flows northward along the nover, which flows northward along the northern Jiangsu section of the Beijing-Harthern Jiangsu section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and along other rivngzhou Grand Canal and along other rivers and lakes and through the Yellow Rivers and lakes and through the Yellow River in the vicinity of Dongping of Shandoner in the vicinity of Dongping of Shandong Province into Hebei Province and Tianjg Province into Hebei Province and Tianjin Municipality.in Municipality.

Middle LineMiddle Line

• the middle-line formula is to divert watethe middle-line formula is to divert water from the reservoir at the Danjiang River r from the reservoir at the Danjiang River mouth on the upstream of the Hanjiang mouth on the upstream of the Hanjiang River, then flows across the valleys of thRiver, then flows across the valleys of the Yangtze, Huaihe, Yellow and Haihe rivee Yangtze, Huaihe, Yellow and Haihe rivers straight through a number of cities in rs straight through a number of cities in Henan and Hebei provinces into Beijing Henan and Hebei provinces into Beijing and Tianjin. and Tianjin.

West LineWest Line

• The west-line formula is diverting water fThe west-line formula is diverting water from the upper reaches of the Yangtze Rivrom the upper reaches of the Yangtze River into the Yellow River, so as to solve ther into the Yellow River, so as to solve the water-shortage problem facing the nore water-shortage problem facing the northwest region.thwest region.

Significance of the projectSignificance of the project

• strategic structural readjustment of the water rstrategic structural readjustment of the water resources of China's Yangtze and Yellow river vaesources of China's Yangtze and Yellow river valleys lleys

• reversing the passive situation featuring the sereversing the passive situation featuring the serious unbalanced distribution of China's water rious unbalanced distribution of China's water resources.resources.

• Solve water shortage problems in Beijing, TianSolve water shortage problems in Beijing, Tianjin, and Shijiazhuang jin, and Shijiazhuang

• new economic growth points will arise in regionew economic growth points will arise in regions along the line, particularly western regions ns along the line, particularly western regions

Questions to discussQuestions to discuss• What are the difficulties in constructing tWhat are the difficulties in constructing t

he West and Central routes for water trahe West and Central routes for water transfer?nsfer?

• What are the impacts of water transfer plWhat are the impacts of water transfer plan on Chang Jiang?an on Chang Jiang?

• Is it an effective measure to solve the waIs it an effective measure to solve the water problems?ter problems?

• Will the water transfer plan create other Will the water transfer plan create other problems?problems?

Benefits brought to Huang He Benefits brought to Huang He BasinBasin

• stop over-pumping of groundwater in thstop over-pumping of groundwater in the northern citiese northern cities

• sustain wetland development and river sustain wetland development and river ecosystemecosystem

• reduce the cut-off of the Huang Hereduce the cut-off of the Huang He• strengthen flood control of Han Jiang anstrengthen flood control of Han Jiang an

d protects Wuhan during floodsd protects Wuhan during floods• lessen silting of the Huang He lessen silting of the Huang He

Socio-economic benefitsSocio-economic benefits• promote the economic development of northern promote the economic development of northern

cities and regions, e.g. Beijing, Tianjin, Huabei Picities and regions, e.g. Beijing, Tianjin, Huabei Pingyuanngyuan

• provide adequate water supply for industrial, irriprovide adequate water supply for industrial, irrigation and domestic usesgation and domestic uses

• increase irrigated areaincrease irrigated area• more job opportunitiesmore job opportunities• higher national incomehigher national income• improve navigation, e.g. Hangzhou Grand Canalimprove navigation, e.g. Hangzhou Grand Canal• alleviates the constraint on urbanization in Nortalleviates the constraint on urbanization in Nort

h China due to water shortageh China due to water shortage

Negative impacts on physical Negative impacts on physical environmentenvironment

• water pollution, leakage and evaporation occuwater pollution, leakage and evaporation occur during diversionr during diversion

• decrease in discharge of the Chang Jiangdecrease in discharge of the Chang Jiang• increase in silting and salinity in Chang Jiangincrease in silting and salinity in Chang Jiang• affect aquatic life during dry season in Han Jiaaffect aquatic life during dry season in Han Jia

ngng• drowning of farmland and settlement due to indrowning of farmland and settlement due to in

creased dam heightcreased dam height

Socio-economic problems Socio-economic problems caused by the water transfer caused by the water transfer

projectproject• people are forced to resettle elsewherepeople are forced to resettle elsewhere• compensation to migrants is hugecompensation to migrants is huge• change of their lifestyleschange of their lifestyles• may cause water shortage in cities in middle anmay cause water shortage in cities in middle an

d lower courses of the Chang Jiang during dry d lower courses of the Chang Jiang during dry seasonsseasons

• water charges increase in order to cover the prwater charges increase in order to cover the project costoject cost

• some water-polluting factories have closed dosome water-polluting factories have closed down in Shandong, e.g. small-scale paper, tannerwn in Shandong, e.g. small-scale paper, tannery and winery factories, causing unemployment y and winery factories, causing unemployment