The rapid economic growth of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has depended in part on reservoirs, which have facilitated flood control, irrigation, hydropower generation, and water supply. These reservoirs are grouped by the country into three safety classes. Class III, comprising 37,032 reservoirs or 43% of the total as of end−2006, are the least safe. The potential failure of class III reservoirs threatens lives and property downstream. During 1954−2007, 3,503 reservoirs or an average of 65 per year collapsed, resulting in at least 27,876 deaths.
As of end−2008, Shandong province in the PRC’s eastern region had the highest proportion of the country’s least-safe reservoirs: they comprised 71% of the province’s total 5,820 reservoirs. 255 reservoir collapses occurred during 1966–2008, with 225 deaths, resulting in a provincial reservoir collapse ratio of 4.4%, higher than the national average of 4.0%. The Shandong provincial government (SPG) recognized the urgent need for reservoir rehabilitation, as well as the importance of properly managing the rehabilitated reservoirs, to enable their safe and effective use for economic development. However, as it faced technical and financing constraints, the SPG requested the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to assist in establishing sustainable reservoir rehabilitation and management models that can be replicated throughout the PRC.
In response, ADB approved a $29.8 million loan for the Risk Mitigation and Strengthening of Endangered Reservoirs in Shandong Province Project in November 2010. The project’s expected impact was improved economic development in areas downstream of the reservoirs. Its expected outcome was the sustainable rehabilitation and management of reservoirs. It had three components: (i) rehabilitation of model reservoirs, (ii) establishment of sustainable reservoir rehabilitation models, and (iii) project management support. A grant of $493,773 for technical assistance to formulate, disseminate, and build capacities for a river basin approach to integrated water resource management, was also provided.
During implementation, minor changes were made on the project without affecting the establishment and dissemination of sustainable reservoir rehabilitation and management models. Specifically, 7 reservoirs, instead of 9 as originally planned, were developed into model reservoirs. These models were established through: (i) technical guidelines for reservoir rehabilitation, (ii) a methodology for estimating the risk of dam failure due to hydrologic overloading, (iii) a risk-based methodology for reservoir rehabilitation planning, (iv) a reservoir portfolio database for the province, (v) watershed management measures, and (vi) a reservoir safety management model.
In 2015–2016, 575 class III reservoirs in the province were rehabilitated using the models established under the project. Until project completion, reservoir rehabilitation in Shandong had proceeded using the models. Several knowledge products and events were also supported to disseminate the models.
$25.2 million of the ADB loan, representing 28% of the actual total project cost, was used, and the undisbursed loan balance was cancelled. The project was completed according to schedule. ADB’s East Asia Department rated the project successful. SPG was the executing agency. The governments of the participating district and 5 counties were the implementing agencies.
