The Ministry of Water Resources has deployed drought-resistant and water supply protection work in the major wheat producing areas in the Southwest and Northern regions.

On the morning of April 29, Li Guoying, Deputy Commander of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and Minister of Water Resources, presided over a meeting to discuss drought prevention and ensure water supply. The meeting was attended via video link by the Yellow River and Pearl River Water Resources Commissions of the Ministry of Water Resources, to analyze and assess the drought situation, and further arrange deployment for drought prevention and water supply in the southwest and northern wheat-producing areas. Li Guoying pointed out that since March this year, the average rainfall in the country has been 11% below normal, with the northern regions experiencing a nearly 30% reduction in average rainfall. It is predicted that in the next ten days, there will be no effective rainfall in the northern drought-affected areas, and the drought situation will continue to worsen. Winter wheat in the northern region has entered the critical stages of heading, flowering, and grain filling, with high water demands, making the drought prevention work extremely challenging. Li Guoying emphasized the need to fully support drought-affected areas in carrying out drought prevention and ensuring water supply. Firstly, continuous monitoring and forecasting of rainfall, water levels, soil moisture, agricultural conditions, and available water resources should be carried out to dynamically analyze and assess the development of the drought situation, in order to provide decision-making support for drought prevention and water supply. Secondly, rural water supply should be guaranteed according to the "3+1" standard construction and management model, with comprehensive water supply protection plans formulated, individual responsibilities implemented, and every household and individual ensured access to safe drinking water in drought-affected areas. Thirdly, based on the irrigation water demand of croplands in irrigation areas and the water levels and flow rates required for irrigation, precise reservoir operations should be carried out to adjust the release flow rates and water levels, and precise river operations should be conducted to regulate river flow rates and processes, ensuring precise and effective irrigation support for each irrigation area and time period, and effectively leveraging the role of irrigation areas as the main force in drought prevention. Fourthly, watershed water resource scheduling should prioritize drought prevention, with preemptive analysis of the impact of drought, and scientific and precise scheduling of key water projects in the Yellow River, Hai River, Pearl River basins, to ensure the security of urban and rural water supply in drought-affected areas and meet the water demand for drought prevention in the northern wheat-producing areas.