China to build national hydrology databank

China will establish a national hydrology databank of water volume, quality and groundwater, so that authorities can share information efficiently, Vice Water Resources Minister E Jingping said on Wednesday.

E said China's hydrologic regulations will take effect from June 1.

With absence of rules, it has for years been difficult for China to regulate hydrological monitoring, as the work involved various sectors, including water resources, power supply, land resources, construction, transport, agriculture and environmental protection.

Hydrological data was collected by each of the sectors and not shared.

To make full use of the data, the hydrology regulations stipulate that hydrological institutions should store, process and compile data in accordance with requirements of the economic and social development. The data should be printed and published, according to the new rules.

Source: Xinhua