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Source: People’s Daily Online. Original article. Beijing, April 22 (Reporter Yu Lu) “In recent years, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance have allocated 155.3 billion yuan in central funds to reinforce more than 2,800 large and medium-sized reservoirs as well as 69,000 small reservoirs. As a result, the safety conditions of these reservoirs have continued to improve, and the efforts to reinforce them have yielded significant results. ”Today, at a regular policy briefing held by the State Council Information Office, Wei Shanzhong, Deputy Minister of Water Resources, said that during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the average annual dam failure rate in China was 0.03‰, the lowest level on record. The globally recognized standard for a low dam failure rate is 0.1‰, and China’s figure is well below this standard, meaning that the safety status of reservoir dams as a whole is under control. Reservoirs are one of the important engineering measures for the development and utilization of water resources as well as for preventing water-related disasters; they are crucial for flood control, water supply, ecology, power generation, and navigation. Reporters have learned that there are over 98,000 reservoirs in China, of which more than 4,700 are large and medium-sized, while 94,000 are small reservoirs; over 80% of them were built between the 1950s and 1970s. Wei Shanzhong explained that, in accordance with the relevant arrangements, large-scale efforts have been made over the past few years to reinforce reservoirs, resulting in a continuous improvement in their safety conditions. First, it eliminates the risks associated with the project itself, resolves the issue of inadequate flood control standards, and improves the level of safety assurance. Secondly, in terms of improving the efficiency of reservoirs, new flood control capacity has been added to them; through risk mitigation and reinforcement, their water storage capacity and reliability in supplying water have been enhanced, and their functions for flood control and irrigation have been restored and improved. Thirdly, it has effectively improved the aquatic ecological environment around the reservoir, playing an important role in the development of beautiful rural areas. “However, for various reasons, the risks to the safe operation of reservoirs in our country remain relatively significant. ”Wei Shanzhong pointed out that, first, there are still 31,000 reservoirs that have not undergone safety assessments by the prescribed deadline. Secondly, some reservoirs have suffered varying degrees of damage as a result of natural disasters such as floods exceeding safety standards and strong earthquakes. Thirdly, due to financial constraints, the standards for reinforcing and strengthening some of the reservoirs that have already been upgraded are relatively low. Fourth, the management and maintenance capabilities of some reservoirs are weak, with inadequate routine repairs and maintenance, which leads to accumulating risks. Recently, the General Office of the State Council issued the “Notice on Further Strengthening the Risk Mitigation, Reinforcement, Operation, and Management of Reservoirs” (hereinafter referred to as the “Notice”). To implement the requirements of the Notice, in the 14th Five-Year Plan period, what measures will the Ministry of Water Resources take? In response, Wei Shanzhong said that first and foremost, it is necessary to promptly carry out safety assessments of reservoirs. By the end of next year, safety assessments must be completed for 31,000 small-sized reservoirs. Meanwhile, based on the actual conditions of these small reservoirs, the procedures for safety assessment should be optimized to improve the quality of the assessment results. Secondly, it is necessary to accelerate the implementation of risk mitigation and reinforcement measures for reservoirs, strengthen the preliminary work for such projects, improve the procedures for capital construction, adopt precise and information-based management approaches, establish regular monitoring mechanisms, conduct timely assessments and carry out reinforcement work as needed, so as to prevent the existence of reservoirs in a dangerous condition. Finally, it is necessary to strengthen supervision during the implementation process to ensure that the quality of risk mitigation and reinforcement works meets the required standards. Completed projects should be promptly inspected and approved, so that each project is completed, inspected, and put into use as soon as possible. “Furthermore, within two years, efforts should be made promptly to establish model counties, particularly to explore management and maintenance models for small reservoirs that are under decentralized control. There are mainly three models: the first is centralized management at the regional level, with management carried out on a county or township basis ； Second is **purchasing services for professional management** ； Third is the approach of \"using larger projects to support smaller ones\"; in accordance with the principle of proximity, small reservoirs are entrusted to management units of large and medium-sized water conservancy projects for supervision and maintenance. ”Wei Shanzhong added. Source: People’s Daily Online