Face up to challenge of flood control
- Source: Global Times
- [03:29 June 22 2010]
- Comments
Since early history, the ability to control water has been the uppermost concern of every Chinese dynasty.
But it appears that despite rapid development and the modern façade of today, flood and drought remain the deadliest threats to China.
The rainstorm that has swept several provinces in southern China recently has claimed 175 lives and disrupted several major railway and highway routes.
What is most distressing is that some of the areas under water now were the very ones hit by severe drought this spring.
It's been like this for thousands of years. Unpredictability of the monsoon, high density of population, rapid economic growth, all these make China more vulnerable to water crisis compared with other countries on the same latitude.
In contrast to China's newly built transportation system that can beat what prevails in many developed countries, the water control system in China is rather primitive.
Today, water control requires a comprehensive system that integrates multiple aims such as preventing flood, draining water, conservation and recycling water.
But for China, to solve water crisis, it has to build a nationwide mega system that can adjust water usage across different regions.
For example, in the provinces with strong precipitation, we should build sound infrastructure that can resist heavy flood together with an effective water conservancy system that can also supply water to areas where it is scarce.
Water control has to be a systematic project. The current model of dividing the work into multiple government agencies, such as water diversion, pollution control and aquatic product protection, is a barrier to a comprehensive water control system on a larger scale.
China should be creative enough to build a water control model based on a full understanding of nature and the characteristics of the flood.
Flood and drought are part of nature's cycle. Since we cannot eradicate them, we must find ways of coping with them by letting nature prevail where it can and by man-made defenses where possible.
Compared with our ancestors, we are blessed with modern technology and skills to help alleviate disasters, but the fundamental way is still to rely on nature and use its resources wisely.
