Progress in Reducing Overexploitation and Strategies for Sustained Recovery

An aerial photograph captured on June 21, 2025, presents a view of the Zhaowanghe wetland park located in Heze City, Shandong Province, eastern China.

China has achieved significant advancements in mitigating groundwater overexploitation in recent years. This progress is a result of concentrated efforts to decrease water extraction and improve the replenishment of groundwater resources.

According to Zhang Xiangwei, a Ministry of Water Resources official, the number of provincial-level regions experiencing groundwater overexploitation has decreased from 21 in 2015 to 18 currently. Furthermore, the volume of overexploitation has been reduced by 31.9 percent compared to the levels recorded in 2015.

The improvements are especially notable in northern China, an area facing significant water scarcity. Groundwater overexploitation in this region has been reduced by 85.8 percent compared to 2015 levels. Data indicates that shallow groundwater levels in parts of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region have risen by 3.19 meters since 2015, while deep groundwater levels have rebounded by an average of 8.46 meters.

To maintain this positive trend, China plans to implement a comprehensive strategy. This approach will encompass water conservation measures, industrial restructuring initiatives, and enhanced efforts to replenish groundwater resources, all aimed at ensuring the continued recovery of groundwater levels.