Tibet charting 44 rivers for water management

Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region will compile a comprehensive set of data on each of its 44 rivers within two to three years for efficient water resource management, local authorities told Xinhua on Wednesday.

The "basin-planning" project will cover the major waterways of the Yarlung Zangbo River, Jinsha River, Lancang River and Nujiang River, according to the regional water resources department.

The total investment is expected to reach 160 million yuan (about 25.39 million U.S. dollars).

Tibet has more water resources than any other Chinese province or region, with over 500 billion cubic meters and the country's highest per capita availability of water.

It is also the source of several important rivers flowing through China and other Asian countries.

The project targets solving water resource management issues in the region, which has suffered uneven distribution of water resources as well as regional and seasonal water shortages in the past.

In the 2011-2015 period, China plans to invest 11.61 billion yuan in Tibet's water conservancy facilities to control geological disasters, build small- and medium-sized hydropower stations and ensure drinking water safety.