Recent heavy rainfall has not only drenched the Pearl River basin, but also led to a significant increase in precipitation across the Yangtze River basin, according to the Changjiang Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources.
The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze have experienced strong rainfall events, with overlapping heavy rainfall areas leading to large cumulative precipitation, the commission said in a flood prevention meeting on May 3.
Major tributaries like the Xiangjiang, Ganjiang, and Lushui rivers are experiencing notable water rises, with levels 2.3-3.2 meters above the historical average for this time of year.
The Ministry of Water Resources had previously issued warnings in mid-April about the likelihood of significant water level increases in the Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake basins, as well as potential above-warning level floods in some smaller rivers within the heavy rainfall areas.
Reflecting the improved upstream inflows, the Three Gorges Dam has seen its daily inflows rise by 35% since late April, reaching 11,006 cu.m/s. Its outflows have also increased by 63% over the same period, reaching 13,075 cu.m/s, in preparation for potential future flood risks.
Downstream at the Gezhouba Dam, outflows have surged by 95% since early April, reaching as high as 16,200 cu.m/s on May 6, before settling at 13,500 cu.m/s. Further downstream at Hankou, water levels have reached a three-year high of 22 meters as of May 6, nearly 6 meters above the same period last year.
According to meteorological forecasts, g the eastern Yangtze-Huai River basin, most parts of southern China, and the eastern parts of Guizhou and Yunnan, are expected to see 50-100 mm of rainfall over the next 10 days, with some areas potentially receiving 120-200 mm, or even up to 250 mm locally.
The increased water inflows and rising water levels across the Yangtze basin are expected to continue boosting hydropower output in the coming weeks, despite some challenges in fully converting the higher water levels into effective power generation due to flood control considerations.
(Writing by yan.sun Editing by Harry Huo)
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