Source:
Agence France-PresseNorth China drought highlights need for water diversion schemeby Robert J. Saiget
Sun Jun 17, 10:46 PM ET
MENTOUGOU, China (AFP) - A rare forest fire on the outskirts
of Beijing has renewed concerns about the capital's crippling
water shortages as an enduring drought deepens and
temperatures hit record highs.
-snip-The blaze occurred only several kilometres (miles) from the dry
bed of a major tributary to Beijing's Yongding river, which has
itself been reduced to a trickle as it descends from the nearly
empty Guanting reservoir, a major supplier of water to the
capital.
-snip-Zhang blames the building of reservoirs upstream, but more
importantly global warming and a lack of rainfall.
-snip-Beijing authorities have been long aware of the capital's water
shortage problem and in 2001 a massive water diversion project
was approved to haul water from the Yangzte river in the south
to the arid north.
Despite widespread concerns over the cost and environmental
impact, the project was approved largely due to the dire need
to maintain supplies for the capital's 15 million residents.
-snip-Read more:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070618/sc_afp/chinaenvironmentclimatewater_070618024648