The State Development Planning Commission will take charge of the survey, considered the largest ever conducted in China. The survey will cover all parts of China except Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao.

Three national surveys of water resources have been carried out in the 1940s, 1950s and the 1997-98 period, respectively.

The new survey, which will take three years to complete, will be of a large scale, accurate and scientific, sources said.

The aim of the survey is to make clear the distribution of China's water resources and power capacity, facilitate efficient use of water resources and promote the development of western China, a water resources official said.

The capacity of China's hydro-electric power stations came to 77 million kw up to the end of 2000, accounting for 24 percent of the country's total power generating capacity. Nearly 70 percent of the water resources are located in western China.

(Xinhua 04/25/2001)