Due to the impact of Typhoon “Gemei” (translated as “Kemi” in Taiwan), heavy rains have caused disasters in multiple areas from south to north in China. The situation has been exacerbated by simultaneous reservoir discharge, further worsening the flooding. Netizens expressed concern for the downstream residents, while official media reported a spectacle of fish from reservoirs being carried into urban streets by floodwaters, describing the scenes as “magnificent” and a stroke of luck for onlookers.
On July 29th, netizens shared videos showing the water levels of the Yalu River in Dandong, Liaoning Province, surging, flooding roads along the river. Reports from mainland media stated that on the night of the 28th, floodgates in Dandong were closed to control the rising waters.
Officials from the Dandong 12345 hotline stated that the water level rise was due to upstream flood discharge, and they plan to clear accumulated water along the riverbanks after flood control operations. The flood control and drought relief headquarters in Dandong mentioned that the upstream reservoirs are still discharging water, causing water levels to continue rising.
According to official reports, on July 28th, 11 rivers in Liaoning Province experienced significant rising water levels, including 6 major rivers and 5 smaller rivers. The province has a total of 67 reservoirs (8 large, 14 medium, and 45 small), but authorities described the discharge as “ordered water release.” Netizens commented, “Stay away from the riverbanks when unnecessary, the water levels are rising!”
Netizens shared videos stating, “Due to heavy rains in several locations in Liaoning, the Huanlong Lake Reservoir in Huanren, Benxi, opened its gates for flood discharge, with downstream residents enduring the situation!”
In the south, Zixing City in Hunan Province was hit by heavy rains, causing the water level of the Dongjiang Reservoir to surge. On the morning of the 27th, the Dongjiang Reservoir opened its floodgates, leading to severe flooding in several downstream cities.
Videos shared by netizens showed that during the flood discharge at the Dongjiang Reservoir, the swift water currents even swept away a tourist boat in a scenic area.
As of 1:00 PM on July 28th, the water level at the Dongjiang Reservoir had reached 285.1 meters, prompting another round of flood discharge starting at 2:00 PM.
Continuing for two days, the flood discharge from the Dongjiang Reservoir caused severe flooding in the downstream cities of Leiyang and Yongxing.
Across the country, numerous reservoirs have been discharging floodwaters from south to north.
On July 26th, in Shenyang, Liaoning, a large number of fish were washed onto city streets due to reservoir discharge.
State-run Xinhua news reported incidents where fish were seen jumping out of the rivers after reservoir discharge following heavy rains, describing the scenes as auspicious and bringing prosperity and safety to the viewers. The video from China Youth Daily showed that large fish were pushed into urban river channels after reservoir discharge, creating a spectacular view.
Shenyang experienced its strongest rainfall recorded since 1951. The city faced rare flooding, with severe waterlogging in streets and residential areas. Some netizens attributed this to the reservoir discharge.
On July 27th, a local netizen shared a video, saying, “After a heavy rain, the Huhe Rubber Dam in Shenyang burst, causing unprecedented surges in the Huhe River.” Another video showed flooding in a residential area due to the “Qipanshan reservoir discharge.”
Netizens from other provinces and cities also shared videos:
“In Jilin, rising water levels due to heavy rain led to the Yunfeng Reservoir releasing floodwaters. Downstream residents of Jiansan, Tonghua, stayed strong!”
“In Guangdong, the Longjing Reservoir in Jieyang opened its gates for flood discharge; downstream residents need to be prepared for internal flooding and water infiltration.”
“In Shandong, the Bashan Reservoir in Linyi opened its gates for flood discharge.”
“On July 28th, the Hengjiang Reservoir in Jieyang, Guangdong discharged floodwaters.”
A netizen in a video commented, “Residents downstream are suffering from the flooding caused by the Chenzhou flood discharge.”
Many netizens questioned the hardship brought by official flood discharges to the public.
In recent times, China has witnessed continuous heavy rainfall and subsequent flood discharges from various major reservoirs. The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River had opened nine floodgates, exacerbating flooding in the middle and lower reaches. The frequent flood discharges in various places have sparked public discontent.
Earlier reports from official sources indicated that by 4:00 PM on July 17, 33 large and medium-sized reservoirs in Henan had exceeded their flood limits. Local authorities were coordinating “orderly flood discharge.” However, the specifics of the “orderly” process and advance warnings to evacuate were not clarified.
On July 17th, heavy rains caused severe flooding in Nanyang, Henan, and internal flooding in Baoji, Shaanxi, with significant damage to houses, vehicles, and farmland due to sudden water surges. Locals complained about the abrupt flood discharge leading to a rapid rise in water levels overnight.
In Guangxi, Fujian, and other areas, residents have protested against the adverse impacts caused by official flood discharges. In a report by local media Da Feng News, on June 16th, villagers in Lianxi Town, Shanghang County, Longyan, Fujian, blamed upstream reservoir discharge for collapsing houses and the unfortunate deaths of family members due to swiftly rising floodwaters. Authorities defended the action as “planned flood discharge in accordance with regulations.”
On June 19th, after consecutive heavy rains in Guilin, Guangxi, the Li River surged, resulting in flooding at the Guilin Railway Station. Locals attributed the flooding to the authority’s reservoir discharge, while officials stated that “the upstream reservoir was already full, necessitating passive water discharge.”
Water resources expert Wang Weiluo, residing in Germany, expressed to reporters that China’s flood discharge is often manipulated through gate control. “If the authorities deem the situation less critical, they release less water; if it’s critical, they release more, posing a greater threat to downstream areas. They often underreport or minimize casualties, never providing accurate data.”
While occasional flood discharges occur in other countries, they tend to be directed to sparsely populated areas. In the U.S., the Morganza Spillway in central Louisiana was opened in 2011 during the floods, diverting excess water from the Mississippi River to the remote Atchafalaya Basin wetlands, protecting New Orleans from flooding.
Despite the trend of dam removal in the U.S. in recent years, China continues to allocate significant funds to maintain aged and risky reservoirs. Wang Weiluo mentioned that China currently has nearly one hundred thousand reservoirs, with roughly three-quarters considered unsafe.