Flood control authorities are getting the Yellow River ready for the coming flood season. After three years of experiments, the first water-and-sand adjustment programs are now being carried out.

To guarantee the safety of the reservoirs, the Wanjiahe, Sanmenxia and Xiaolangdi reservoirs on the Yellow River are to release over 5 billion cubic meters of water before the coming flood season.

The river's flood control authorities have hammered out plans to make use of the water to flush away sand on the riverbed.

Wang Zhenyu from the Yellow River Flood Control Office said, "After the first three sand adjustment experiments, the volume of water running through the lower half of the Yellow River has increased from less than 2000 to 3000 cubic meters per second. The change will effectively stop the reduction of the river bed."

3.4 billion cubic meters of water will be released to lower the water level at the Xiaolangdi Reservoir to 225 meters, the safe level for the flood season.

Once the adjustment project gets underway, 2800 cubic meters' water will be released every second.

The project will start on Thursday and last for two weeks.

Maintenance work on the power station at the reservoir has been completed in preparation for the project. Shipping and fishing activities have been banned during the period.

(CCTV.com June 16, 2005)