China’s Mega Water Project Delivers 90 Billion Cubic Meters of Water – Benefits 195 Million People
Water resources are fundamental to China’s agricultural production and food security. Mega water infrastructure projects play a critical role in addressing regional water allocation imbalances and meeting agricultural water demands.
The eastern and middle routes of China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project have delivered about 90 billion cubic meters of water as of Aug 10, 2026, benefiting 195 million people, the project operator recently announced.
The mega water transfer project, the largest of its kind globally, channels water over long distances from the country’s water-rich south to its northern regions, where hundreds of millions once endured “absolute water scarcity” as defined by United Nations standards.
The conceptual development of this project began in the 1950s, with the first phases of its middle and eastern routes becoming operational in late 2014.
Designed with three routes, the project stretches across four of China’s major river basins, namely, the Yangtze, Huaihe, Yellow and Haihe rivers.
The middle route, is the most prominent of the three as it supplies water to the Chinese capital Beijing, begins at Danjiangkou Reservoir in Central China’s Hubei province.
The Grand Canal segment, connecting Beijing and Hangzhou with a history of over 2,500 years, is the world’s longest artificial waterway. It served as a significant transportation artery in ancient China.
The project has bolstered food supply in water-scarce provinces by providing a reliable water supply, which is essential for agricultural activities.
A detailed evaluation of the project, published by Nature Sustainable Agriculture in June 2025 has shown the project significantly boosted grain production in areas like Henan province, a major grain-producing region. The research demonstrated positive effects becoming evident from 2015, and culminating in a marked increase in grain output post-2017.
Ecologically, the project has provided over 11.8 billion cubic meters of water for replenishing ecosystems, effectively halting the decline of groundwater levels in northern China,
By adhering to the principles of “pollution control before water diversion” and “environmental protection first,” local authorities and communities along the route have actively engaged in pollution control and water source protection efforts.
Sources:
Xinhua, Aug 7, 2026. http://www.chinaview.cn/20260807/d07418b0d86949858be631e275191d7b/c.html
CCTV Video News Agency, 11 Aug 2026. https://youtu.be/stwH4SRTq28
npj Sustainable Agriculture, Zhao, Y., et al, “Evaluating the impact of the South-to-North water diversion project on regional grain production”. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-025-00072-2
China Daily, Dec 19, 2024. https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202412/19/WS67637e41a310f1265a1d3bbd.html
