The Development of Groundwater for Irrigation in China

Rainfall in China is extremely seasonal and decreases from the coastal areas to the interior. The development of groundwater therefore, particularly in the drier northern regions, is essential in order to have a reliable supply of water for agriculture and for municipal and industrial use. In the 17 northern provinces approximately 10.6 million hectares (ha) are irrigated with groundwater. Generally speaking such groundwater is obtained largely from unconfined aquifers. Due to the great variety of geological and hydrogeological conditions encountered in the different regions of China, the structures used for the extraction of groundwater vary. The types of structures used and the method of their construction are described.