As industrialization and urbanization process speed up in the Yellow River region, the use of water in the Yellow River region has taken a structural change. While agricultural water usage decreases from 95 percent in 1980 to the present 79 percent, water use for industrial purpose has risen by 13.4 percent, and the Yellow River's total water consumption reach six billion cubic meters.
Some experts point out industrialization process has sped up in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River, where natural resources are rich. Over the next 20 years, it is expected that industrial water consumption will keep growing at current rate. In fact, demand for water use of the Yellow River has already far exceeded what the river can supply.
Head of the Water Control Department under the Yellow River Water Conservation Committee An Xindai said a lot of water could be saved in agricultural use. Starting from 2003, relative departments began to transform some agricultural water usage for industrial purpose in Inner Mongolia and Ningxia Hui Autonomous region. It is expected that by 2010, some 600 million cubic meters of water resources in Inner Mongolia and Ningxia Hui Autonomous region will be diverted for industrial use from agricultural sector after water conservation measures have been taken.
(Chinanews.cn April 26, 2006)
