THE REGULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE YELLOW RIVER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00418R006200350012-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 19
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Sequence Number: 12
• Content Type: MISC

Approved For Release 2007/10/19: CIA-RDP83-00418R006200350012-1
THE REGULATION AND DEVELOPMENT
OF THE YELLOW RIVER
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THE REGULATION AND DEVELOPMENT
OF THE YELLOW RIVER
General Features of the Yellow River
The Yellow River is the second greatest river in our country. It originates
in the Chinghai plateau, traverses through numerous highlands. gorges and
plains and finally empties itself into the Gulf of Hopei, having a total length
of 4,845 km and a drainage area of 745,000 km2. The Yellow River basin yields
plentiful products and possesses abundant mineral deposits and water resources.
It constitutes in our country the main production area of wheat, miscellaneous
cereals and technical crops-tobacco and cotton. There are rich deposits of
coal, petroleum, iron, copper and aluminum. In this area there live about
180,000,000 inhabitants of different nationalities, as Han, Islam, Mongolian
and Tibatan. The Yellow River basin was the cradle of our country's cultural
development, and for irany centuries, the political and economical center of the
country.
The amount of rainfall is comparatively low in the Yellow River basin, with
an annual mean precipitation of only 400 mm. Futhermore, almost half of which
is concentrated in July, Auguest and September and mostly in the form. of
heavy downpours.
In the loess region along the middle reaches of the river, there is an area
of about 370,000 km2 under serious erosion. Due to the looseness of the soil
structure, the intenseness of the precipitation, the steepness of the slope and
the exposure of the land surface to erosion, large amount of silt is washed into
the Yellow River. As a result, vast expan'.es of fertile plateau land have been
turned into barren ridges and steep gulli2s. the agricultural production has
been seriouly damaged, and the Yellow River has become the muddiest stream
on the world. The annual mean amount of silt passing by Shan hsien in
Honan Province amounts to 1.38 billion tons If this amount of silt were used
to build a dike one meter by one, meter in section, it would he able to encircle
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the earth 23 times at equator. At the lower reaches, where the slope becomes
gentler, the river channel broadens and the velocity is slower, the silt carried
along by the river will settle down. As, a result,, the riverbed . raises year by
year and the river is thus turned into an -aboveground river". During flood
of extraordinary magnitude, there' Nvould occur serious calamities ranging from
dike-breaking to course-shifting. According to the historical records, during the
past three thousand years, there occurred more than 1,500 times of dike-
breaking, including 26 cases Of couse=shifting. 'Each of the1 dike-breaking and
course-shifting was accompanied by heavy losses in the lives and property of
the people. For instance, the flood of 1933 had caused more than 50 breaches
and flooded an. area of 11.000 km". More than 3,640,000 people were affected
with over 18,000 casualties. Property worth some 230 million silver dollars was
lost. In 1938, when the Chiang Kai-shek regime purposely breached "'the
dike at Huayuankow in Honan Province, 54,000 km2 of area was inundated,
and 12,500,000 inhabitants were affected with 890,000 casualties. These calami-
ties were'closely related to the crimes of the reactionary ruling class.' In average,
there happened -two breaches in every five years''.
Brief History in Harnessing the Yellow River
All through our history, the Chinese people has made unceasing efforts in
harnessing the Yellow River. More than four thousand years ago,' as the lengend
tells, the Saint Yu left his bride three days after wedding and worked on the
river for eight years, passing by his home three times without entering it. Pan
Chi-hsun in the latter part of the 16th century and Chits Fu and! Chen Huang
in the latter part of the 17th century had contributed much in the harness-
ing of the Yellow River. Chia Jan of 7 B.C. as well as the contemporary
hydraulic engineer Li Yi-chih did propose ''scientific methods for the control of
water and silt and for their proper use. Their ideas, impossible to' be realized in
old society, can only become true nowadays when the power is in the hands of
the people. The Chinese People have had a long history in the, utilization and
development of water resources. Irrigation works such as the Ching and' the
Han canals were built one to two centuries B.C., and a water lifting device
called the .heaven wheel" was invented in the eleventh century.
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'The Regulation in] Development of the Yellow River
Since the liberation of the lower reaches of the Yellow River in 1946,.
the people masses along the river has waged a stubborn fight in harnessing
the river, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the Peo-
ple's Government. In the nine years until 1954, for controlling the river, the
government has made a huge investment of 154 million yuan, which is 33
times the investment to the Yellow River by the Kuomingtang regime during,
its 18-year rule from .1914 to.1932. 67% of this amount was spent for the.
strengthening of dikes along the lower reaches. During the past few years,
over 1,800 km of dikes has been repaired with an amount of earthwork of
130,000,000 m3. Owing to the rationalization of labour organization, the adopta-
ticn of 'spay according to work" policy and the imprcvement of tools, the effi-
ciency of earthwork has been raised constantly year after year. For instance, the
capacity of earthwork per worker has risen from 1.44m3 in 1946 to 5.32 m3
in 1954. 8,000 cavities and cleavages have been discovered by probing and
filled, and 23,000 foxes and other harmful animals have been caught. The
dike has thus been strengthened considerably. For instance, during the flood
season of 1949, there occurred over 400 leakages, while in 1954 with a
heavier flood, only one leakage was found. 14,350,000 trees and 66,000,000
bunches of grass have been planted in order to provide proper protection to
the main dike.
In 1949, 780/0 of the revetments at dangerous sections was still made of
stems of sorghum, while in 1954, 99.4% of it has been replaced by masonry
with 2,300,000 m3 of stoneworks involved. Moreover, since the channel of the
Yellow River in Shantung Province is too narrow to drain off the huge flood flow,
the People's Government has constructed two flood retarding basins, namely
Pei Chin Ti and Tung Pin Hu. In case of extraordinary flood, if necessary, part
of the flood flow may be diverted into these areas, so that the security of the
main dikes may be ensured. In these areas, small dikes have been built around
the villages to protect them. The loss in crops due to diversion of flood will be
compensated by the government.
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During the, flood season in July.. Auguest and September every year. hun-
dreds of thousands of people are organized up to protect the dike and fight
against the flood. In 1953, some of the masonry revetments near by Liuchuang of
Shantung Province was damaged by the flood. The flood was finally conquered
and no damage was done, after tens of thousands of people and workers worked
unceasingly round the clock for three to four days.
Owing to the accomplishment of the above mentioned works, nine flood
seasons have passed without causing damages, and the security of lives and'
property of the people along the river is thus ensured. Besides, People's Vic-'
tory Canal has been built near the Chengchow railway bridge. This canal diverts
from the Yellow River 50 ma/sec of water, in which 29 m3/sec is used to
irrigate 720,000 mou of farmland, and 23 m3/sec is used to supplement the
flow of Wei River, so as to improve the navigation of the 900 km stretch ' be-
tween Hsinhsiang and Tientsin. At the head of the main canal, destilling basin
has been constructed in order to prevent the main canal and the Wei River
from silting. The construction work of this project was first started in 1951.
It was put into operation in April of 1952. In the past three years from 1952 to
1954, only the increment in crops has amounted to 880,000 yuan, which is 125 %
that of the total investment. Furthermore, the transportation capacity of the
Wei River has also increased in 1954 to 210%. that of 1951. We are now con-
sidering to futher extend the amount of diversion and the irrigated area and
to make use of the drops on the main canal for power generation. This is a
creative work on the lower reaches in the utilization of Yellow River water.
In addition, syphons were built at Keifong in Honan Province, through which
5 m3/sec of water could be diverted to irrigate 20,000 mou of farmland in
the suburb of Keifong as well as to improve the sanitary conditions of that
city.
Preparatory Works for the Regulation and
Development of the Yellow River
In order to collect reliabedata for the compiling of a multiple-purpose plan
for permanently controlling the Yellow River and exploiting its resources, in
the past few years, we have done over the whole river basin large amount of work
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on reconnaisance, surveying, geological exploration, pydrographical observation,
silt research and soil conservation experiment.
In the years from 1950 to 1954, we have done large amount of reconnai-
sance work for basin planning, irrigation, soil conservation and flood retarding
basin. Total w ea reconnoitred amounts to 426,189 km2. In the reconnaisance
of 1952, the head water of the Yellow River was found to be Yekutsunglieh
stream instead of the formerly believed Singsuhai. Besides, numerous excellent
dam sites have been found too both on the main stream and the tributaries.
Among them. the Sanmen Gorge in Honan Province and the Liuchia Gorge in
hausu Province are ideal and have been decided as main projects in the first-
stage development.
As to the surveying and geological exploration works, we have done topo-
graphical surveying over an area of 34,68-5 km2. triangulation control, preci-
sion levelling and astronomical point survey, and also the geological explora-
tion at 27 places with a total drilling-in of 13,000m.
A hydrographical observation network has been established with 200 hydro-
graphical stations (developed from a mere 20 at liberation) and 400 precipi-
tation stations. The annual mean volume of flow of the Yellow (River is
47,000,000,000 m3. However, owing to the simultaneous downpours over the
main tributaries-King, Lo, Wie, Fen and Chin in the middle reaches between
Shensi and Shansi provinces, the flood discharge of the Yellow River is large
and with sudden fluctuations. In spite of these dificulties, the accurate and
timely flood forecast. being afford the downstream much time to get prepared,
plays a great role in the struggle against flood.
Silt problem is a key problem in the permanent control of the Yellow
River. A big research institute has been set up at Chengchow in Honan Pro-
vince, and various scientific instruments have been employed to study the cha-
racteristics of silt and its rule of transportation in river. According to our
analysis, the average silt concentration of the Yellow Rever at Shan hsien is
34 kg/m3, while that of the Nile River in Egypt is kg/m3;, the Amur River
in Soviet Union 4 kg/ma and the Colorado River in America 10 kg/m:{. 90%
of its silt comes from the middle reaches of the river between Paotow and
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Shan hsien. The highest ei_~r known silt concentration of Wooting River, one
of the tributaries of the Yellow River. even reaches 1,518 kg/m3. About 40%
of the silt carried through Shan hsien will settle in the river channel downstream,
and the rest will flow into the sea.
Besides the constr, cti n of reservoirs on the main course and the tributaries,
soil conservation wcrk in the badly eroded area is the most important mearures
to tackle the silt pro .lem. In the past few years, experimental soil conservation
works have been done in typical regions with good results, and this has in
turn prepared the ground for the further development of soil conservation work
on an extensive scale.
The Great Plan for Permanently Controlling the
Yellow River and Exploiting its Water Resources
In harnessing the Yellow River, we have the aim not only to eliminate the
flood disaster permanently in its middle and lower reaches, but also to utilize its
water resources to meet the demand in the development of our national econo-
my for power generation, irrigation and navigation, to convert the world-famous
treachrous river into one which will serve the people. With the completion of
the afore-mentioned preparatory works, necessary conditions have been provided
for the permanent control of the Yellow River. With the selfless aid of Soviet
experts, a multiple-purpose plan for the development of the Yellow River has
been prepared in 1954.
Now, the --Multiple-purpose plan for permanently controlling the Yellow
River and exploiting its water resources" has been adopted by the Second
Session of the First !rational People's Congress. Under the leadership of the
Chinese Communist Party and Chairman Mao and the selfless aid of our great
ally, the Soviet Union, our people are now facing a new era, the era of thoroughly
eliminating the disasters caused by the Yellow River and the comprehensive use
of its water resources.
According to the need and possibility of our national construction nowadays,
a first-stage plan - part of the multiple-purpose plan - has been submited, which
will be carried out within three five-year plans. The most important projects
in the first-stage plan are : two reservoirs for the comprehensive purposes of
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flood prevention, irrigation and power generation, one at Sanmen Gorge in
Honan Province and one at Liuchia Gorge in Kansu Province; three diversion
dams on the main stream ; and also more than a dozen reservoirs of medium
and minor sizes on the tributaries. With the completion of these projects, the
threat of disasters downstream will be a thing of the past ; industries and farm-
lands along the river will be supplied annually with cheap electricity amounting
to 9.8 billion Kw-hr ; almost half of the river flow will be used for irrigation with
the increasing of irrigated area by 30,250,000 mou; this practically unnavigable
river will have a length 1,800 km navigable in stretches. the soil conservation
works in the loess plateau will double the local agricultural production and
will cut the sill content in the Yellow River by half. The investment of the first-
stage development is 5,324,000,000 Yuan, but this amount will be recovered in
6 years by the benefit of irrigation alone. As to the eventual solution of the
flood problem of the Yellow River, it is impossible to be estimated in figures.
The over all plan calls for the construction of 46 dams on the main stream
and numerous flood preventing and silt detenting reservoirs on the tributaries. The
entire river will then run clear. The huge hydro-electric power plant scattered on the
entire river will generate 410 billion Kw-hr of cheap electricity every year, i.e. ten
times the total output of the country in 1954. This electrical energy will be supplied
to meet the demand of industrial development and also the cities and villages.
Neariv all of the river flow will be used for irrigation and the irrigated area
will be extended to 116,000,000 inou, i.e. seven times the present value. The
annual yield in grains will be increased by 6,800,000 tons, and the cotton by
600,000 tons. Navigation facilities will he greatly developed, with the entire
middle and lower reaches of the river about 3,600 km in length navigable to
steamship. Tug boats of 500 ton capacity will be able to sail right from the
estuary to Lanchow. Barren loess plateaus in the middle reaches will be con-
verted into an afforestated, verture-carpeted and highly productive land, suitable
for the development of agriculture, forestry and pasturage. The Yellow River
and its tributaries will then become highly valuable rivers in our national
economy.
The bright future of the Yellow River encourages the Chinese people. Under
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the leadership of the Chinese Communist Marcy and Chairman Alao, with the
unceasing efforts of all our people and the assistance of the Soviet Union and
our international friends, the Yellow River will certainly be harnessed, and the
"Multiple-purpose plan for permanently controlling the Yellow River and exploit-
ing; its water resources" will certainly be completely realized, so that the Yellow
River will not only serve the socialist construction, but also the communist
construction in the future as well.
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j
CHINA NATIONAL CEREALS, OILS & FATS
EXPORT CORPORATION
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CHINA NATIONAL CEREALS, OILS & FATS
EXPORT CORPORATION
t10 :.i* 57
57 Chu Shih Ta Chieh, Peking, China.
'E # 9: NATIONOIL PEKING
Cable Address:
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'0101 Ana
Being a state Enterprise, we
are the sole Corporation dealing
in the Export & Import of various
Kinds of Cereals, Beans, Oil-
seeds, Vegetable Oils, Salt
etc. Buyers as well as sellers in-
terested in the following com-
modities are invited to make
direct contact with us.
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~ It JA
RICE
Round-shaped Rice
Long-shaped Rice
Glutinous Rice
WHEAT
WHEAT FLOUR
WHEAT BRAN
MAIZE
KAOLIANG
BARLEY
OATS
RYE
BUCK WHEAT
MILLET
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9-i
1/3c" It s
SOYA BEANS
Yellow
Green
Black
SMALL RED BEANS
Tientsin Origin
Tangshan Origin
Shantung Origin
Tsungming Origin
Anhwei Origin
Kalgan Origin
SMALL GREEN BEANS
Kalgan Origin
Hankow Origin
Mingkwong Origin
Szechuan Origin
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A
IA-
2--'wME3
(j~ 111.4 ('1
BROAD BEANS
Kashing origin, handpicked
Ningpo origin, handpicked
Kalgan origin
HORSE BEANS
Chinese Horse Beans
Hankow Origin
Shensi Origin
KIDNEY BEANS
LENTILS
Large, White
Small
PEAS
Large, White
Small, White
Mixed Coloured
STRING BEANS
BAMBOO BEANS
Green
Mixed Coloured
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>thf
GROUNDNUT IN SHELL
H.P.S. Graded & Ungraded
GROUNDNUT KERNELS
F.A.Q.
H.P.S. Graded & Ungraded
SESAMESEED
White, Yellow & Black
SUNFLOWERSEED
RAPESEED
MUSTARDSEED
HEMPSEED
PERILLASEED
LINSEED
CASTORSEED
COPRA
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it p0
0 iii
INDUSTRIAL OILS
Tung Oil
Stillingia Oil
Hempseed Oil
Linseed Oil
Castor Oil
Rapeseed Oil
Perilla Oil
EDIBLE OILS
Soyabean Oil
Groundnut Oil
Cottonseed Oil
Sesame Oil
Teaseed Oil
Mustardseed Oil
Coconut Oil
ESSENTIAL OILS
Aniseed Oil
Cassia Oil
Yellow Sandal Wood Oil
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SALT
Selected Seeds of
7 } Cereals, Beans,
*Ogg* Oleaginous plants, etc.
Sample to be supplied upon request
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