The Yangtze Waterway Bureau reported that the new guaranteed water level in the middle reaches of the river has been trialled and sustained safely for the first 70 days. From 1 November, the guaranteed water level was raised from 3.0 metres to 3.2 metres between Yichang and Chenglingji, and from 3.2 metres to 3.5 metres between Chenglingji and Wuhan.

The guaranteed water level is the Yangtze Waterway Bureau’s benchmark for minimum waterway maintenance. The actual water level is typically higher than the benchmark to ensure safe shipping.

Known for its shallow waterway, the middle reaches require a lot of dredging, and the water storing and releasing cycle of the Three Gorges Dam has exacerbated the problem. Dredging efforts since the beginning of the dry season in November have excavated nearly 550,000 tons of silt in the area so far.