According to the 2022 survey of freshwater reserves of groundwater resources in China, we were surprised to find that the underground water storage in the northern regions accounted for 95% of the country's reserves, while the southern part of the rainy season accounted for only 5%! This reminds us of the great project of "South-to-North Water Diversion". At a cost of hundreds of billions and decades, the aim was simply to transfer water from the South to the North for the benefit of the people. However, according to the results of the survey, the north can rely on groundwater for self-sufficiency, and there is no need for south-to-north water transfer. So, is there really no need to continue the costly South-to-North Water Diversion Project? Since China has conducted its own groundwater survey, it will certainly not be fake, and we should also accept the fact that groundwater in the north is richer than that in the south. However, before we can judge whether the South-to-North Water Transfer Project is still important, it is worth taking a closer look at groundwater in the North and South. Groundwater, as the name suggests, refers to water resources stored below the earth's surface, and it is a very important part of the overall water resources. Its main ** is atmospheric precipitation, which penetrates underground after falling on the earth's surface. Due to the different geology of different regions, the size and content of groundwater storage also varies. In the north, for example, the strata are mostly impervious, forming a kind of natural container, and the stored groundwater is not easily lost.
The geology of the South is very different from that of the North, and it is mainly a "natural container" made up of igneous or metamorphic rocks, which do not isolate water sources as in the North, but allow water to infiltrate, leading to the loss of groundwater. The abundance of groundwater in the north is due to better storage space, while the scarcity of groundwater resources in the south is due to the loss of most of the water. In our daily lives, we often use groundwater, such as digging wells. Groundwater has been discovered and wells have been dug in our country thousands of years ago, making it an indispensable part of our lives. Most of this groundwater comes from rain and snow, it is fresh water and plays an important role in our lives, providing it for drinking, irrigating our fields, and moisturizing our crops. With the advancement of science and technology, our mining technology has also become more sophisticated, and we are able to make efficient use of various water resources. However, in recent years, environmental pollution has become more serious, and people's demand for water resources has also increased, especially in the north, when water resources are scarce, we often see water outages. According to the national survey, the groundwater resources in northern China are sufficient, which can fully meet the needs of the population in the northern region. Why, then, would we rather divert water from the south to the north than use groundwater from the north for self-sufficiency?
Water resources are scarce in the south, and if they were sent to the north, wouldn't it be even worse? The ancients said well: "Water can carry a boat and also capsize a boat", which is to tell us the pros and cons of water resources.
It's not that the North doesn't exploit water for fear of drowning itself, but because it has other considerations. In fact, groundwater is also being extracted in the north, but only with some restrictions, so as to avoid the catastrophe caused by over-exploitation of groundwater.
Excessive use of groundwater resources will lead to the hollowing out of underground space, and the surface support capacity will be greatly reduced, which may lead to surface subsidence, causing traffic paralysis and safety hazards. Not long ago, the ground collapsed in Liunan District due to over-exploitation of groundwater, causing huge property damage and panic among residents.
Nationwide, more than 70 cities have caused land subsidence due to over-exploitation of groundwater, with a total area of 640,000 square kilometers, with a settlement depth of up to more than three meters! In today's water scarcity, this is not uncommon.
Over-exploitation of groundwater not only leads to contamination of freshwater, but can also allow surface sewage to seep downwards and pollute groundwater resources. In addition, over-exploitation can lead to seawater intrusion, which can become polluted into seawater, affecting the safety of drinking water for local residents and the growth of crops. For example, in some coastal areas of our country, seawater intrusion has been caused by over-exploitation of groundwater, resulting in drinking water and agricultural problems for local residents. Therefore, even if there are abundant groundwater resources in the north, it should not be overexploited, otherwise the consequences could be more serious than the lack of water.
Moreover, although groundwater resources are relatively abundant in the north, they are not evenly distributed. The Northeast Plain and the North China Plain have a large proportion of groundwater resources, while others have relatively little, and many areas are facing water shortages.
To understand whether the South-to-North Water Transfer Project is really necessary, we need to understand the importance of this project. As the name suggests, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project is a huge project to transfer water from the south to the north. In fact, this project has been recognized by the state and characterized as a strategic project.
Due to the sheer scale of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project, it was not an overnight project. It is mainly divided into three routes: eastern, central and western. Construction began on the Eastern Front in 2002, followed by the Central Line, which was launched in 2003. And the Western Front has not yet been launched due to various problems. However, the two lines have already benefited tens of thousands of residents. In 2023 alone, the total amount of water transferred from this project will reach a staggering 853.7 billion cubic meters.
In an era of water scarcity, there is enough water to save many northern residents from the fate of water scarcity. The South-to-North Water Diversion Project not only solves the problem of water shortage in the north, but also helps solve a series of economic problems caused by water shortage in the north. Whether it is the economic loss caused by farmland crops or the waste of resources caused by water shortage in scenic areas, they have been alleviated to a certain extent due to the introduction of these water resources.
When it comes to crops and scenic areas, the water resources from the South-to-North Water Transfer Project will also help improve the ecological conditions of water resources in the north.
After all, it is only with abundant living water that those ecosystems are more capable of self-regulation. In addition, when water resources are abundant, life in the water will naturally become more vibrant, and the surface of the earth will be full of vitality due to the abundance of water resources.
Of course, the South-to-North Water Transfer Project will not benefit the North at the expense of the South's water resources, on the contrary, the South-to-North Water Transfer Project can also bring certain benefits to the South. The economic benefits are clear: the South will be able to make full use of its many resources through water diversion, and the South-to-North Water Transfer will also solve the South's security problems to some extent.
After all, the abundance of water in the South is well known, and we have all witnessed the flooding of the South on various platforms. Their water resources have reached the point where "water can overwhelm the boat", so the water resources are also transferred from them for their own good, which can alleviate their floods caused by excess water resources to a certain extent. This will also prevent China from falling into a situation of "drought and drought and flooding".
The South-to-North Water Diversion Project is arguably one of the best ways we can think of to help the people of the country, but if we want to make better use of water resources, we must learn to cherish them. Even though the South-to-North Water Transfer brings us many benefits, it can be disastrous if we don't get the metrics right.
In general, it is true that there are more groundwater resources in the north than in the south, but we must not overexploit groundwater to avoid causing even greater disasters.
Although the South-to-North Water Transfer Project has now been completed, its importance has not diminished. This great project will not only solve the water problem in the North, but also help the South to reduce the pressure of natural disasters. How could such a remarkable project not be necessary?