China Advances Digital Water Management

China plans to expedite the digital transformation of its water resources management during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, spanning 2026 to 2030. This initiative builds upon substantial progress made in water infrastructure, disaster prevention, and conservation over the preceding five years.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), China saw a significant increase in water conservancy investment, totaling 5.68 trillion yuan. This period also witnessed enhanced flood and drought prevention capacities, with authorities successfully managing numerous flood events without major levee breaches or reservoir failures. Economic losses from such natural disasters fell to an average of 0.17 percent of GDP.

The construction of a national water network also advanced, with major projects initiated and significant water supply capacity added. Water conservation efforts led to reductions in water consumption relative to GDP and industrial output.

Looking forward, digital intelligence is identified as a key trend, with emerging technologies like AI set to reshape water infrastructure monitoring, operation, and regulation. China has developed an integrated monitoring and sensing system and collected extensive data to support digital management.

Future efforts will concentrate on improving data collection, sharing, and governance. The development of AI models, both general-purpose and water-sector specific, alongside digital twins for river basins and water projects, will enhance forecasting, early warning systems, and decision-making for flood control and water allocation.