Baiyangdian, the largest freshwater lake in north China, is expected to dry up again next spring, due to an insufficient supply of water resources.

The lake, consisting of more than 140 smaller lakes, stores about 49 million cubic meters of water at present, and its water level is only 6 meters.

Covering a space of over 360 square kilometers, Baiyangdian, known as "the bright pearl in north China", provides water to hundreds of thousands of people near Beijing and Tianjin.

The growing demand of water for industry, agriculture and daily life, along with the over-exploration of underground water have caused the lake to dry up by 16 times since 1949.

Experts believe that the nation's water project that distributes water resources from southern China to northern regions may help the lake survive from the threat of chronic droughts.

(Xinhua 12/19/2000)