Spring drought may occur in the northern winter wheat region this spring
According to meteorological and hydrological forecasts and analysis, precipitation in northern China will be below normal in the spring of 2015, the inflow of major rivers will generally be below normal, and relatively severe spring drought may occur in the northern winter wheat region and parts of the southwest. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters requires solid efforts in drought relief and irrigation assurance as well as urban and rural water supply.
This is what the reporter learned from the national video conference on flood control and drought relief held in Beijing on the 20th.
Chen Lei, deputy commander of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and Minister of Water Resources, said at the meeting that it is necessary to do a good job early in analyzing water storage and soil moisture conditions and predicting incoming water and drought conditions in areas prone to drought during the winter and spring period; in response to possible drought, organize and guide relevant areas to strengthen monitoring and forecasting, implement drought relief contingency plans, scientifically allocate water sources, strengthen the use of rainfall and flood resources, accelerate the construction of drought relief water sources, strengthen drought relief water use management, do a good job in emergency water volume scheduling, give play to the safeguard role of drought relief service organizations, and solidly carry out drought relief work to protect spring plowing and spring irrigation as well as urban and rural water supply.
The reporter learned from the meeting that in 2014, China's flood control and drought relief work achieved remarkable results. A total of 485 people died nationwide due to floods, a decrease of 66 percent from normal years and the fewest since the founding of New China; flood control safety was ensured, with disaster reduction benefits reaching 37.9 billion yuan; temporary drinking water difficulties caused by drought for 16.56 million people and 7.9 million large livestock were resolved, reducing economic crop losses by 29.8 billion yuan.
It is understood that in 2015, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters will focus on doing a good job in ice flood prevention on northern rivers, doing a good job in drought relief and irrigation assurance and urban and rural water supply, and making preparations before the flood season to ensure the safety of river flood control. At the same time, it will give prominence to ensuring the safe flood season operation of reservoirs, guarding against typhoons, mountain torrents and urban waterlogging, advancing the building of flood control and drought relief capacity, and strengthening organizational leadership for flood control and drought relief.