Northwest China on water alert as Yellow River supplies run low
- Agricultural users in the Hetao Plain area have been urged to plant drought-tolerant crops
- Flows into the waterway are down significantly, turning 2023 into a ‘dry year’
Water management authorities in northwestern China have warned of shortages in the Yellow River this year that could worsen in the years to come, posing a risk to agriculture in Ningxia and Inner Mongolia.
The two autonomous regions cover the major grain-producing area of the Hetao Plain, which straddles the Yellow River and is the largest artesian irrigation area in northern China.
“All water users should plan crop planting according to the amount of water allocated,” the Ningxia Qinhan Canal Management Office said in an undated open letter.
“They should plant drought-tolerant crops as much as possible, reduce water-intensive crops and avoid affecting food production.”
The office also said water-intensive crops such as rice were banned from being planted in certain areas.
“The task of resisting drought and securing irrigation is very arduous this year. We must prepare well against severe and long-term droughts … and ensure the irrigation of 1.06 million mu [71,000 hectares] of farmland,” it said.