Since the dry-season water replenishment operations were launched on November 21, 2025, the Three Gorges Reservoir has cumulatively released over 10 billion m3 of water to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River as of May 12. This vital flow has secured domestic water supply, agricultural production, unimpeded navigation, and ecological conservation throughout the middle and lower Yangtze basin.

From winter to the following spring, the Yangtze River Basin experiences low rainfall. To effectively tackle the challenges of the dry season, China Three Gorges Corporation has adopted a science-based approach to continuously increase the discharge from the Three Gorges Reservoir. The average daily outflow has exceeded 7,000 m3/s, surpassing the natural average flow by nearly 60%.

According to the 2024 Statistical Bulletin on National Economic and Social Development released by the National Bureau of Statistics, China's per capita water use in 2024 was 421 m3. Based on this figure, the water replenished by the Three Gorges Reservoir during this dry season is equivalent to the annual water use of over 23.75 million people.

Looking ahead, as the main flood season in the Yangtze River Basin approaches, CTG will closely monitor water and rainfall regimes, continuously track upstream inflows and water demand in the middle and lower reaches, and create favorable conditions to fully leverage flood control, water replenishment, and ecological benefits, in strict accordance with the unified dispatch of competent national authorities.

Source: CTG Xiaowei