On July 4, 2016, NHRI team led by Prof. MA Fuheng with Dam Safety Management Department won the bidding for the informatization system of People’s Victory Canal Irrigation Zone in Henan Province after the evaluation of Bid Evaluation Committee and recordance at relevant supervisory authorities. The project will include the construction of the monitoring systems for working conditions of structures in the irrigation zone, and for ground water, surface water, flow discharge and water quality, video monitoring system, sluice gate monitoring system, flood control consultation system and office automation system with an total investment of RMB120 billion and construction period of 6 months. After completion of the project, the engineering management informatization level will be remarkably upgraded to provide advanced means for scientific water resource allocation and improvement of agricultural irrigation efficiency and a demo for the informatization construction of large irrigation zones in Henan Province.

The construction of People’s Victory Canal, a first large irrigation engineering to divert water from the Yellow River at its middle and lower reaches, started in 1951 and delivered water in 1952. The Canal put an end to the history of “Devastating Yellow River except for the Hetao Area” and unveiled the prelude of large water and sand resources development and utilization in the downstream of the Yellow River. With a design irrigation area of 148.84 Mu, the Canal mainly functions for farmland irrigation and drought relief for 3 cities, 9 counties (or equivalent cities and districts) and 47 villages (or towns) and water supply to Xinxiang City with a benefitted population of about 2.65 million.