Why Water Diversion Project Is Still Making Ripples.docVIP

Why Water Diversion Project Is Still Making Ripples 　　MANY water projects of a mas-sive scale have achieved famearound the world; few peoplehave not heard of the AswanDam in Egypt,the Hoover Dam in theU.S.and the Itaipu Dam where Brazil,Paraguay and Argentina touch each oth-er.But few are comparable to the South-to-North Water Diversion Project inChina - a large-scale trans-basln waterdiversion project designed to take waterfrom Chinas water-rich southern area tothe dry north. 　　The idea for the project originated inthe early 1950s.At that time the officialin charge of the Yellow River conservancyproposed to Chairman Mao Zedong thata diversion of water from the bountifulYangtze River to the Yellow River wouldalleviate water shortages in the YellowRiver,Huaihe River and Haihe River ba-sins.Mao approved the proposal with thecomment: Southern water is plentiful,while northern water scarce.If possible,borrowing some water would be good”The Chinese government put the projecton its agenda and the rest is history. 　　After a half century of feasibilitystudies,inspections of terrain,and as-sessments of 5o-odd alternative plans,construcfion of the project was lannehedin December.2002.Three water diver-sion routes would be developed - theEastern,Central and Western routes -and the eonstrnefion was expected to becompleted in 50 years. 　　It has been nine years since the firstphase of construction laid the giround-work for the eastern and central routes,but much discussion,not to say contro-versy,persists about the project.Whydoes China have to build this project?What are the functions of the project?China Today took the questions thatwont go away to Mr.Shen Fengsheng,chief engineer with the South-to-NorthWater Diversion Project Comission ofthe State Council. 　　Shen has participated in the research,planning and eonstructinn of the proj-ect.When he served as director of theEngineering Consulting Departmentof the Yellow River Conservancy Com-mission,he was engaged in parti