China's Longest River Maintains Low Water LevelWater level in the Yangtze River, China's longest, has remained unusually low although this year's flood season started in July.Experts said this is because the river valley has had less rainfall this year than in normal years. In July, the water flow at Yichang city in the middle reaches of the river, was about 17 percent less than in the same period of normal years, according to the Yichang Hydrometric Station. And it has declined even further in August. The water level at Shashi hydrometric station, downstream of Yichang, stood at 38.52 meters on August 10, 1.65 meters lower than the average for August in past years, while the level monitored at the Hankou hydrometric station in Wuhan was 22.12 meters, 1.82 meters below the precious figure. Two flood crests formed on July 3 and 18, but water levels in most sections of the river remained beneath the danger mark. Although the low water level has exempted local people from arduous flood-control efforts, it has caused shipping problems on the river. Dredgers had to be dispatched to deepen the waterways in Shashi to prevent ships from getting stranded at the end of July and the beginning of this month. |
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