The water level of the Crescent Moon Spring in northwestern China's Dunhuang increased by 44 centimeters and hit a seven-year high on Friday.

The water level of the Crescent Moon Spring in northwestern China's Dunhuang increased by 44 centimeters and hit a seven-year record high on Friday, March 28, 2008. [Photo: cnsphoto]

Underground water is spouting out in a low-lying area in the east to the spring, covering an area of about 400 square meters, China News Service reported.

Local government initiated a protection project to save Crescent Moon Spring, the famous "spring in the desert" from drying out in 2007.

Water infiltration plants were built around the spring to elevate the groundwater level in the area. And 41 million yuan will be invested in this project.

The water level of the spring had been declining drastically since the 1960s. The water coverage of the spring had decreased from 16,000 square meters to 5,200 square meters, while the average depth had dropped from 10 meters to 1.1 meters before actions were taken to stop the ecological deterioration.

(CRI April 1, 2008)