Adapting to the Yangtze’s Frequent Swings From Flood to Drought (AI Translation)
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文｜财新周刊 王硕
By Wang Shuo, Caixin Weekly
作为汉口水文站的趸船值守人，詹贵生目睹了2024年长江涝旱急转之下水位的快速变化。趸船是水文测船起航和停靠的码头，船上配有水质自动监测设备，也是长江水质的监测点。2024年11月底，詹贵生告诉财新，因长江水位持续走低，这艘水文趸船已经搁浅，最近作业船都要去别的码头停靠。
As the caretaker of the wharf boat at the Hankou Hydrological Station, Zhan Guisheng witnessed the rapid changes in water levels in the Yangtze River during the swift transition from flood to drought in 2024. The wharf boat acts as the dock for hydrological survey vessels, equipped with automatic water quality monitoring devices, serving as a monitoring point for the Yangtze River's water quality. By the end of November 2024, Zhan informed Caixin that the continuous drop in the Yangtze's water levels had left this hydrological wharf boat grounded, and recently, operational vessels have had to dock at other wharves.
汉口水文站是长江干流最早设立的水文站之一。截至2023年，汉口水文站建站百余年来记录到的最高水位超过28米的年份有8个，其中包括1954年和1998年两个最高水位超过29米的年头。而今年是第9个，2024年7月4日，长江汉口站水位曾一度涨至28米，超警戒水位（27.3米）0.7米。
Hankou Hydrological Station is one of the earliest hydrological stations established along the main stream of the Yangtze River. As of 2023, there have been eight years recorded at the station with water levels exceeding 28 meters. Among these years, 1954 and 1998 saw water levels surpassing 29 meters. This year marks the ninth occurrence; on July 4, 2024, the water level at Hankou reached 28 meters, 0.7 meters above the warning level of 27.3 meters.
水利部长江水利委员会（下称“长江委”）长江中游水文水资源勘测局汉口分局副局长陈静告诉财新，2024年6月15日前后，汉口水文站的水位还只有20米，半个月之后就涨到了28米。“这一水位是有监测记录以来第9高，也是2000年后的第3高。”陈静说，在高水期，汉口水文站附近江面宽达2公里，江水淹没了岸边近百米宽的芦苇带，差一级台阶就冲到江边公园的绿色健身步道上，而台阶下的一行柳树几乎被没顶。
Chen Jing, Deputy Director of the Hankou Branch of the Midstream Hydrology & Water Resources Survey Bureau under the Changjiang Water Resources Commission (hereafter the "Changjiang Commission"), told Caixin that around June 15, 2024, the water level at the Hankou hydrological station was only 20 meters, but it rose to 28 meters within half a month. "This water level is the ninth highest on record and the third highest since 2000," Chen said. During the high-water period, the river surface near the Hankou hydrological station stretched 2 kilometers wide, submerging a nearly 100-meter wide strip of reeds along the bank. It was just one step away from washing over the green fitness trail in the riverside park, while a row of willows below the steps was almost entirely submerged.
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- In 2024, the Yangtze River experienced a rapid shift from floods to drought, causing operational challenges at Hankou Hydrological Station and Poyang Lake.
- The rapid transition is attributed to unique weather patterns, intensifying climate change, and massive water diversion projects affecting water levels.
- The fluctuation impacts include straining water management and supply systems for vast populations reliant on the Yangtze River Basin and inter-basin water transfer projects.
In 2024, the Yangtze River experienced a dramatic transition from flooding to drought, witnessed by Zhan Guisheng at the Hankou Hydrological Station, a key location monitoring the river's water quality and levels. By November, water levels had significantly fallen, grounding many survey vessels and forcing them to dock elsewhere. Historically, Hankou has seen water levels breach 28 meters eight times, with 2024 marking the ninth instance. On July 4, 2024, the water reached 28 meters, only 0.7 meters above the warning level, signaling severe conditions [para. 1][para. 2].
Chen Jing, Deputy Director of the Hankou Branch, recounted sharp water level increases in mid-June, jumping from 20 to 28 meters in just two weeks. However, by August, the Yangtze dramatically dropped to nearly half its levels, exposing vast stretches of the riverbed. The water at Poyang Lake, connected to the Yangtze, also noted a drastic decline, surpassing previous records of rapid reduction [para. 3][para. 4].
The situation in 2024 echoes that of 2022, characterized by a rapid shift between flood and drought, influenced by global climate changes. Over 50,000 reservoirs have been built along the Yangtze to manage water resources, including large structures like the Three Gorges Dam. This extensive network supports millions of people and various economic sectors both directly in the basin and indirectly through inter-basin projects [para. 5][para. 7].
Honghu City experienced severe drought, cutting it off from the main Yangtze River channel. By September, the lack of rain compounded the drought, impacting water intake for local facilities, necessitating significant dredging projects to maintain water supply. This challenge is emblematic of the broader issues across regions relying on the Yangtze during the drought [para. 9][para. 10].
The dramatic water fluctuations began with an intense rainy season in June and July, leading to historic flooding in some areas, but an unusually dominant subtropical high-pressure zone in August caused precipitation to plummet, extending the drought period [para. 15][para. 16]. This pattern of extreme weather transitions, tied to climate change, is becoming common in the Yangtze basin and presents significant risks for water management [para. 16][para. 19].
Despite these challenges, the vast reservoir systems, primarily the Three Gorges, managed to maintain strategic storage levels, although they faced difficulties due to both the drought and high-energy demands for electricity generation. Even with reduced inflows, joint regulation among key reservoirs intends to offer adequate supply through to April of the following year [para. 24][para. 28].
At the same time, the Miyun Reservoir near Beijing has seen historically high water levels, boosted by diversions from the Danjiangkou Reservoir via the South-North Water Transfer Project. The project's central route supplies crucial water to northern cities like Beijing and Tianjin, ensuring water security amidst drought conditions [para. 35][para. 36].
Concerns mount over the Han River, a major source for these projects, due to high diversion demands impacting its flow and ecological health. The Yangtze to Han diversification project, initiated in 2022, aims to supplement this but could further reduce outflow levels, indicating long-term sustainability concerns for the Han River as a vital water source [para. 43][para. 45].
As climate change intensifies, the Yangtze's role as a strategic water source is under pressure, with frequent shifts between flood and drought complicating management strategies. These challenges require comprehensive policy adjustments and innovative solutions to sustain the water demands of the extensive network reliant on this crucial river system [para. 28][para. 48].
- Huyuan Water Service Co.
湖源水务 - Huyuan Water Service Co. responded to the water intake challenges in Honghu City due to low water levels by deploying three large excavators. They operated 24/7 to create a 3-kilometer-long, 20-meter-wide channel, averaging 3 meters deep, to direct water to the city's water plants. The company anticipates investing 1 million yuan in dredging efforts during the 2024 dry season to ensure water supply continuity.
- 2023：
- Eight years have been recorded at the Hankou Hydrological Station with water levels exceeding 28 meters
- 2024-06-09：
- The Yangtze River Basin entered its concentrated rainy season
- 2024-06-15：
- The water level at Hankou station was only 20 meters
- 2024-06-18：
- The seasonal monsoon began
- 2024-07-01：
- Pingjiang County faced its largest flood in 70 years
- 2024-07-04：
- Water level at Hankou reached 28 meters
- 2024-07-05：
- A dike breach occurred at Dongting Lake
- 2024-07-15：
- Very little rain in the area, contrasting with earlier conditions
- 2024-08-01：
- Sudden drop in Yangtze River water level due to lack of rainfall
- 2024-08-16：
- Water level at Hankou was 23.36 meters
- 2024-09-10：
- Poyang Lake water level at Xingzi Station dropped to 11.98 meters
- 2024-09-16：
- Water level at Hankou dropped to 16.15 meters; Poyang Lake fell to below critically low levels
- 2024-10-01：
- Water levels at major control stations significantly below historical averages
- 2024-10-08：
- Luyuan Waterworks in Honghu City began emergency operations to dig a channel for water intake
- 2024-10-09：
- Water level at Xingzi Station fell to 7.99 meters
- 2024-10-15：
- The wharf boat at Hankou grounded due to low water levels
- 2024-10-16：
- Water level at Hankou reached 13.67 meters
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