Precipitation in the Yangtze River basin has dropped by 30% since the beginning of this year, exacerbated by high spring irrigation demand in the middle and lower reaches. Since April 8, increased discharge from the Three Gorges Reservoir has caused water levels to plunge, which has caused the exposure of a large number of mobile light beacons as the river narrowed. Workers from the Yangtze River Navigation Bureau have been adjusting and reinstalling the exposed light beacons daily under harsh daytime conditions.
It was learned that the 196-kilometer Yichang section of the Yangtze River waterway, including the perennial reservoir stretch from Miaohe to Chanyu Creek, where Three Gorges Dam operations require shore markers, buoys and mobile beacons to be adjusted seasonally with water-level fluctuations to maintain safe navigation on this “water highway.”
Additionally, the waterway administration has ramped up digital inspections using drones and 5G+AI for round-the-clock, full-coverage monitoring, prioritizing inspections of geological hazard-prone areas. Measures include placing electronic fences on digital nautical charts to mark hazardous rocks, enhancing navigational safety. (Reporter/Wang Ying, Correspondent/Li Qinggui)