Project will be " most difficult in the world," says offcical
( 2001-11-09 09:46 ) (8 )

A Chinese official said that the country's south to north water diversion project will be the most difficult one of its kind in the world.

Li Guoying, director of the Yellow River Water Resources Committee, said in Zhengzhou that the project aiming to ease water shortages in northern China will be completed in the coming 10 years.

"The project's west line will divert water from rivers on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the Yellow River valley, and geological and meteorological conditions there are severe," he said.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is 3,000 to 4,500 meters above sea level.

Li said the lack of oxygen will be a headache for the workers.

In the first phase, the water from five tributaries of the Yangtse River will be transferred via a 3,600-kilometer canal to the Yellow River, benefiting six drought-hit northwest provinces and regions.

Li said China has been working for 50 years on the feasibility of the project, which is the biggest one of its kind in the world.

Some 20 countries in the world have so far carried out water diversion projects.