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China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project: A Review and Reach Beyond China’s Borders

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Title: China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project: A Review and Reach Beyond China’s Borders
Authors: Jia, Yi, Zhang, Linus, Niu, Jianzhi, Berndtsson, Ronny
Contributors: Lund University, Faculty of Engineering, LTH, Departments at LTH, Department of Building and Environmental Technology, Division of Water Resources Engineering, Lunds universitet, Lunds Tekniska Högskola, Institutioner vid LTH, Institutionen för bygg- och miljöteknologi, Avdelningen för Teknisk vattenresurslära, Originator, Lund University, Faculty of Engineering, LTH, LTH Profile areas, LTH Profile Area: Water, Lunds universitet, Lunds Tekniska Högskola, LTH profilområden, LTH profilområde: Vatten, Originator, Lund University, Profile areas and other strong research environments, Strategic research areas (SRA), MECW: The Middle East in the Contemporary World, Lunds universitet, Profilområden och andra starka forskningsmiljöer, Strategiska forskningsområden (SFO), MECW: The Middle East in the Contemporary World, Originator, Lund University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Departments of Administrative, Economic and Social Sciences, Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies (CMES), Lunds universitet, Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten, Samhällsvetenskapliga institutioner och centrumbildningar, Centrum för Mellanösternstudier (CMES), Originator
Source: Water. 17(22)
Subject Terms: Engineering and Technology, Civil Engineering, Water Engineering, Teknik, Samhällsbyggnadsteknik, Vattenteknik, Social Sciences, Political Science, Political Science (excluding Peace and Conflict Studies), Samhällsvetenskap, Statsvetenskap, Statsvetenskap (exklusive freds- och konfliktforskning)
Description: The South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP), the world’s largest water transfer initiative, is designed to address northern China’s acute water scarcity by diverting approximately 45 km3 of water annually from the south through three major routes, with completion targeted for 2050. This review demonstrates that the SNWDP has already improved water security for over 150 million people, stabilized groundwater, and supported agricultural and urban development, but also presents significant challenges, including escalating costs, large-scale resettlement, and substantial environmental concerns such as ecosystem alteration, salinity intrusion, pollutant transfer, and risks to biodiversity and water quality. While mitigation and adaptive management efforts are ongoing, their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain. Notably, the SNWDP’s influence extends beyond China: by enhancing food production self-sufficiency, it can help stabilize global food markets during concurrent droughts and serves as a model—albeit a debated one—for large-scale water management and governance. The project’s hydropolitical and geopolitical dimensions, especially regarding the planned western route and potential transboundary impacts, underscore the need for international dialog and monitoring. Overall, the SNWDP exemplifies both the opportunities and dilemmas of 21st-century megaprojects, with its legacy dependent on balancing economic, environmental, and social trade-offs and on transparent, participatory governance to ensure sustainable outcomes for China and the global community.
Access URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/w17223275
Database: SwePub
Description
Abstract:The South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP), the world’s largest water transfer initiative, is designed to address northern China’s acute water scarcity by diverting approximately 45 km3 of water annually from the south through three major routes, with completion targeted for 2050. This review demonstrates that the SNWDP has already improved water security for over 150 million people, stabilized groundwater, and supported agricultural and urban development, but also presents significant challenges, including escalating costs, large-scale resettlement, and substantial environmental concerns such as ecosystem alteration, salinity intrusion, pollutant transfer, and risks to biodiversity and water quality. While mitigation and adaptive management efforts are ongoing, their long-term effectiveness remains uncertain. Notably, the SNWDP’s influence extends beyond China: by enhancing food production self-sufficiency, it can help stabilize global food markets during concurrent droughts and serves as a model—albeit a debated one—for large-scale water management and governance. The project’s hydropolitical and geopolitical dimensions, especially regarding the planned western route and potential transboundary impacts, underscore the need for international dialog and monitoring. Overall, the SNWDP exemplifies both the opportunities and dilemmas of 21st-century megaprojects, with its legacy dependent on balancing economic, environmental, and social trade-offs and on transparent, participatory governance to ensure sustainable outcomes for China and the global community.
ISSN:20734441
DOI:10.3390/w17223275