China links rivers,Yangtze water flows in Yellow River

Yangtze water was expected to reach the Datun reservoir in east China’s Shandong province,at the northern end of the project,in 72 hours,according to the provincial construction management bureau of the south-to-north water diversion project.

Some 1.5 billion cubic metres of Yangtze water is expected to be sent to Shandong every year after the phase 1 of the eastern route project is fully operational,easing the serious water shortage in the booming province,Xinhua news agency reported.

The south-north water diversion project was conceived by Mao Zedong in 1952,and approved by the State Council in December 2002 after debates lasting nearly a half century.

The $ 81-billion project has resulted in the relocation of millions of people and triggered global concern.