China has successfully placed the flush floods occurred in the Huaihe basin in 2003 under control, using scientific flood prediction techniques and rescue means, said JING Zhengshu, Chinese Vice Minister of Water Resources, at a national S&T conference for water resources held on November 2, 2004 in Chengdu. Using optimized water resources distribution theory and techniques, China has established a unified water resources distribution and management system, which has ensured the uninterrupted flows of the Yellow River four years in a row, even facing the serious water shortage of the Yellow River Basin and increasingly elevated river bed at the lower reaches. Tracking down the water and ecological environment before and after the diverted water supply to the Talimuhe River, Heihe River and Zhalong Wetlands, and associated analysis and scientific evaluation has provided technical support for the decision making process of ecological water diversion project.

Hydrological S&T activities secure powerful support for major hydraulic works, easing the shortage of urban water supply, and for ecological restoration. For example, the exploration and implementing of the scenario building a water efficient society in the Zhangye area of Gansu Province and the Mianyang area of Sichuan Province provides the technical support for creating water efficient role models. Under the new theory and practice for water pollution control and soil conservation, ecological and biotech means are employed to restore polluted water bodies, and the self-regulating power of mother nature is also utilized to control soil erosions. The realization of the Three Gorge's functionalities, including water storage, power generation and shipping, and the full fledged implementation of water diversion from south to north project, forcefully demonstrates China's internationally advanced hydrological engineering capability, and its proven records to build the world class hydraulic works.

Statistics show that since 2001 the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources has initiated or launched in collaboration with other national S&T programs more than 10 major projects, worth RMB 330 million. During the period of 2001-2004, the Ministry of Water Resources has allocated RMB 178 million to support hydrological projects under the 948 Program, RMB 35 million for S&T innovation projects, RMB 16 million for diffusion projects, and RMB 240 million for infrastructure construction.