With improved operation and enhanced management, reservoir safety in China has been continuously strengthened in 2023, serving the high-quality development of the water sector in the new era. On December 28th, 2023, Ministry of Water Resources convened a press conference on reservoir safety management in 2023. Mr. Liu Weiping, Vice Minister of Water Resources, presented more details.
With a total of 98,000 reservoirs, China has the largest number of reservoirs and dams in the world, and shouldered daunting management tasks. Bearing in mind the goals of achieving no casualties, no dam collapses, no breaches of important embankments and no impacts on important infrastructures, Ministry of Water Resources continuously strengthened reservoir safety management while promoting economic benefits and ensuring dam safety.
Vice Minister Liu pointed out that in 2023 Ministry of Water Resources closely monitored reservoirs safety during flood season, implemented reservoir safety accountability system and carried out regular risk elimination and dam strengthening work. Endeavors were made in the spheres of promoting identification and prevention of hidden risks, carrying out pre-flood inspections of reservoirs and implementing pest control measures against termites and other harmful insects and animals for dams. Moreover, pilots were rolled out on modern reservoir operation management, strengthening construction of reservoir monitoring facilities and consolidating reservoir safety management. Since 2021, 11,763 hazardous reservoirs have been reinforced, 3,200 reservoirs downgraded and demolished, and 37,593 rain monitoring facilities for small reservoirs and 26,113 safety monitoring facilities for dams built up and put into use.
Vice Minister Liu introduced that during several severe floods in 2023 including the Haihe River Basin flood, local floods in the Songhua River Basin and multiple rounds of typhoon attacks, reservoirs played an indispensable role in flood prevention, with no dam collapse. Immediately after the earthquake in Jishishan County of Gansu Province, Ministry of Water Resources conducted a thorough survey of over 400 reservoirs in the earthquake stricken area. A working group was sent to the earthquake stricken area to provide on-site guidance and tackle the risks of damaged reservoirs. Currently, the reservoirs in the earthquake stricken area are in a safe sate.
Vice Minister Liu stated that Ministry of Water Resources will continue to anchor tasks around the goals of high-quality development of water sector in the new stage and plan key tasks in advance, so as to ensure safe operation of reservoirs and dams as well as sound performance of reservoir functions.
Source: INTCE