Massive project to bring water to Beijing
Newly constructed apartment blocks can be seen in the distance behind a pile of rubbish on the dried-up riverbed of the Yongding River located on the outskirts of Beijing March 21, 2010. No water has flowed down the river for many years as a result of the ever increasing demands for water from China's capital city.
Most of China's water is in the south of the country and a $80 billion project will attempt to bring water to Beijing from the south by building more than 2,700 miles of waterways connecting existing bodies of water.
Qingni river
View of the cracked bed of the nearly dried-up Qingni River during a drought in Xuchang city, central China's Henan province, July 29 2014.
The worst drought since 1951 hit central China's Henan province. About 245,000 people face shortages of drinking water. More than half of Henan is suffering serious problems with 20 percent of the land area rated extremely dry. More than 50 percent of the provinces small to medium rivers and 35 percent of its small reservoirs have dried up.
Qi river
View of the bed of the nearly dried-up Qi River during a drought in Qixian county, Hebi city, Henan province, July 28, 2014.
Yellow river
Chinese workers stand in a tunnel under the Yellow River, or Huanghe, on the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in Zhengzhou city, Henan province, June 22, 2010.
A tunnel below the Yellow River on the central route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project was dug so that water from the Yangtze River could pass under the River.
Construction of the tunnel started in September 2005. Another tunnel under the Yellow River for the eastern route was dug through in March in eastern China's Shandong province. China is accelerating the construction of the water diversion project to meet growing demand in the parched north, project authorities said. The project will divert water from the Yangtze River to the dry north via three routes: eastern, middle and western. A number of construction projects have been completed or are near completion. By the end of March, 40.896 billion yuan ($5.99 billion) had been spent in constructing the middle and central routes, from the earmarked total of 90.6 billion yuan.
Qi river
View of a bridge over the dried-up Qi River during a drought in Qixian county, Hebi city, Henan province, July 28 2014.
Danjiangkou Dam Extension Project
Work continues on the Danjiangkou Dam Extension Project for the south-to-north water diversion project, in Danjiangkou, Hubei province, July 8, 2007.
About 330,000 people in the Danjiangkou Reservoir area in central Chinas Hubei and Henan provinces were relocated for China's south-to-north water diversion project.
Danjiangkou Dam Extension Project
Chinese laborers work at the Danjiangkou Dam Extension Project for the south-to-north water diversion project, in Danjiangkou, Hubei province, January 5, 2008.
Danjiangkou Dam Extension Project
A view of the construction site of Danjiangkou Dam Extension Project for the south-to-north water diversion project, in Danjiangkou, central Chinas Hubei province, January 5, 2008.
Danjiangkou Dam Extension Project
A view of the construction site of Danjiangkou Dam Extension Project for the south-to-north water diversion project, in Danjiangkou, Hubei province, January 5, 2008.
Yellow river
View of the construction site of a tunnel under the Yellow River, or Huanghe, on the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in Zhengzhou city, Henan province, June 22, 2010.
The tunnel below the Yellow River on the central route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project was dug so that water from the Yangtze River could pass under the River. Construction started in September 2005.
China is accelerating the construction of the water diversion project to meet growing demand in the parched north, project authorities said. The project will divert water from the Yangtze River to the dry north via three routes: eastern, middle and western.