Personnel from Water Resources Systems Implement Drought Prevention and Relief Measures to Ensure Water Supply with No Fear of High Temperature

Since late June, continuous hot and sunny days have been seen in Jiangxi Province, resulting in rainfall 50 percent less than the average value of the same period, and evaporation 40 percent more than the rainfall of the same period. Nine rivers and hydropower stations in Jiangxi Province are at the lowest level recorded in history. Various levels of drought have occurred across Jiangxi Province, with some areas seeing heavy drought. The observation of the hydrological department tells that currently, water resources located in 151 county-level cities of Jiangxi have ensured over 30 days of water supply, and safe drinking water in rural areas has been guaranteed.

Water Resources systems implement the decisions and deployment of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and the work requirements of the provincial Party Committee and government, adhere to putting people and their lives first, make overall plans for drought prevention and relief, make concerted efforts to ensure the safety of urban and rural water supply, to resolutely win the battle against drought.

The drought gives orders. On August 12, Yi Lianhong, Secretary of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the CPC, presided over the drought prevention and relief meeting, stressing that precise measures should be taken to resolutely fight and win the battle for drought relief, and make every effort to ensure the safety of people's production and living water supply and water use. The Water Resources Department of Jiangxi Province attaches great importance to and pays close attention to the drought, puts ensuring the drinking water safety of urban and rural residents at the top of its work, focuses on ensuring food production, and steps up the repair of all kinds of water supply and irrigation facilities damaged by water. The hydrological departments of Jiangxi Province closely monitor key areas and rivers, timely release river hydrological information, and accurately evaluate the development of drought.

At the same time, Jiangxi strengthens water storage and conservation, building a water supply defense line. The Department of Water Resources of Jiangxi Province takes action on both flood control and drought relief. And on the premise of ensuring flood control safety, it scientifically blocks and stores flood tail, guides reservoirs to make water use plans according to the "one reservoir and one policy" of water supply objects, and guides local reservoirs to increase water storage reasonably. As of August 11, the total water storage capacity of reservoirs in Jiangxi was 18.1 billion cubic meters, which was the same as that of previous years.

The drought is connected with caring about people's worries and concerns. The Water Resources Department of Jiangxi Province conducts weekly scheduling for rural people with difficulty in drinking water due to drought, and strengthens the investigation of hidden dangers of rural drinking water safety; guides 780 "thousand tons and ten thousand people" water supply projects in Jiangxi to formulate and improve emergency plans for water supply guarantee; widely publishes rural water supply service hotline and supervision and reporting telephone, and strengthens supervision and inspection. Local water resources departments and water supply units strengthen the investigation and maintenance of rural water supply projects, prepare for emergency response in advance, and guide residents to save water through various publicity forms.

Water allocation in irrigated areas is vital in the midst of high-temperature weather. The Water Resources Department of Jiangxi Province requires all localities to strictly implement the "one hoe" water releasing and planned water usage according to needs, and guide irrigation district management units to carry out maintenance and repair of drought-resistant equipment and ensure channel dredging, and obstacles clearing. Irrigation water plans have been made in Ganfupingyuan, Yuanhuiqu and Liaohe irrigation areas. At the same time, the Water Resources Department has stepped up efforts to promote the construction of irrigation area facilities extension and modernization projects, improve the water delivery capacity of channels, and meet the needs of agricultural irrigation.

Water resources systems in various parts of Jiangxi have actively implemented policies and all kinds of work on drought prevention and relief, to ensure water supply.

The Water Resources Department of Ruichang City dispatched a fire engine to water crops that are difficult to pump water for irrigation.

Fire engine waters crops that are difficult to pump water for irrigation. [Photo by Wei Dongsheng]

The Water Resources Department of Pingxiang County increased investment in drought relief equipment, sent technical personnel to lecture on the installation and use of water pumps and other drought relief equipment, and strengthened the investigation of rural drinking water safety problems and operation supervision and management.

Drought prevention and relief in Pingxiang County. [Photo by Wang Siyu]

Drought prevention and relief in Pingxiang County. [Photo by Wang Siyu]

Sujiadang Township of Gongqingcheng City has successively invested eight drought-resistant irrigation equipment, with an installed capacity of about 300 kilowatts. Water is pumped from the outer area of Poyang Lake in three directions into Jiangtanlianwei for irrigation.

Drought prevention and relief in Gongqingcheng City. [Photo by Xia Yina]

Three medium-sized reservoirs, Yaoli, Tiannan and Huangnibu in Xin'gan County, Ji'an City, play the role of the main force of agricultural irrigation water supply. The time of drought relief and water release has exceeded 20 days, and the accumulated irrigation water supply to the downstream farmland has exceeded 12 million cubic meters, ensuring water supply for single-cropping late rice in the heading and flowering stage and late double-harvest rice in the tillering stage.

Water Release in the Main Canal of Yao Reservoir Irrigation Area. [Photo by Cao Maoru]

Jiangxi Yuanhuiqu Project Management Bureau strengthens the operation monitoring and daily patrol of channels, and organizes all management sections and management and maintenance project departments to maintain mechanical and electrical equipment, to ensure the safe operation of water conservancy facilities and equipment.

Drought prevention and relief of Jiangxi Yuanhuiqu Project Management Bureau. [Photo by Zhang Aiya]

The Water Resources Bureau of Xiushui County, Jiujiang City, carried out the flood control and drought relief practice of "I'm a CPC member, I'll go first", and set up nine drought relief working groups, which were sent to the front line of drought relief to observe the situation of the affected rice fields, and visit residents to learn about the safety of villagers' drinking water.

Drought prevention and relief in Jiujiang. [Photo by Fu Miaoyin]

The Water Resources Department of Fuliang County, Jingdezhen City, carried out drought prevention, drought relief, and water supply protection based on early action, early deployment and early implementation.

Technicians of Fuliang Water Resources are lecturing the installment and instructions of drought relief equipment. [Photo by Hu Yao]

Wan'an County, Ji'an City, has solidly promoted the integration of urban and rural water supply and continuously improved the rural water supply.

Volunteers are repairing waterline. [Photo by Qiu Feng]

Ji'an County, Ji'an City, actively raised funds to reinforce ponds and improve water storage conditions of water source projects. After the completion of the project, 60 households in three natural villages, such as Lulian, will completely solve the problem of seasonal water shortage and provide water power for rural revitalization.

Drought prevention and relief in Ji'an. [Photo by Hong Shengzhi]

Drought relief still has a long way to go. Water Resources Department of Jiangxi province will further take the responsibility of drought relief, effectively ensure the water safety of the masses, strengthen analysis and judgment, and start the emergency response to drought relief in due course to ensure that the drought relief work is forceful, orderly and effective. (By Wan Jing)