Water level of China's second-largest freshwater lake continues to decline

This photo taken on July 9, 2023 shows the east Dongting Lake nature reserve, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

CHANGSHA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The water level of Dongting, China's second-largest freshwater lake, located in central China's Hunan Province, continued to decline in July due to low precipitation, local authorities said Tuesday.

At 8 a.m. on Monday, the water level at the lake's landmark Chenglingji hydrological station was recorded at 24.43 meters, 1.59 meters lower than that on July 1, and 6.12 meters lower than the average level in the same period of many previous years.

As of 8 a.m. on Monday, the accumulated precipitation in Hunan Province was 870.3 mm, which was 13.7 percent less than the average amount for the same period of many previous years, said the provincial department of water resources. Less rainfall directly leads to a decrease in the amount of water flowing into Dongting Lake.

According to the forecast of the local hydrological department, the rainfall in Hunan Province will be less in August compared to the same month in many previous years, and a hydrological drought will occur in some areas due to high temperatures and little rainfall. Major rivers will maintain medium and low water levels, and the inflow of Dongting Lake will continue to be low.

In 2022, Hunan suffered its worst drought since it started keeping meteorological records in 1961. Some areas experienced continuous drought in summer, autumn and winter, which meant that the dry season of the lake lasted 305 days and only ended in early June.