A prolonged heat wave and drought have drained China’s largest freshwater lake.
The highest water levels of the year on Poyang Lake occurred on June 23 (as measured at the Xingzi Station). After that, high temperatures and a lack of rain caused the lake to drop rapidly, according to the Jiangxi Hydrological Monitoring Center.
By August 6, Poyang Lake water levels had declined to 11.99 meters (39.33 feet), marking what the center called the start of the lake’s “dry season.” That low came roughly 100 days earlier than usual. It was the earliest date that the water dropped to such a low mark since records were first kept in 1951. Water levels have continued to drop, registering 8.96 meters (29.4 feet) on August 30.
The emptying of Poyang Lake has disrupted irrigation, shipping, and drinking water systems for nearby communities.
________________
Video description: Aerial view of Poyong Lake going back and forth between images from July 10, 2022 and August 27, 2022. The images are composites, and combine observations of shortwave infrared, near infrared, and visible light. In the first image, the lake is deep blue and surrounded by dark green land with irregularly shaped edges. In the second image, most of the blue is replaced by light tan in the areas where the lake has dried up. Text on screen reads: Parched Poyang Lake, Jiangxi Province, China
Comments