2011-01-27 13:30

BEIJING -- China began Wednesday construction on the Hongze Lake segment of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.

The total investment of the Hongze Lake segment was 500 million yuan ($75.87 million), according to the Office of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project Commission (SNWDPC).

Located in East China's Jiangsu province, the Hongze Lake segment belongs to the eastern route of the project.

The SNWDPC said the eastern route is set to complete construction by 2013.

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project is designed to divert water from the water-rich South China, mainly the Yangtze, the country's longest river, to the country's arid northern regions. It will consist of three routes: an eastern, middle and western route. The project started with construction of the eastern route in 2002.

Up until now, both of the eastern and middle routes were already under construction. The western route, meant to replenish the Yellow River with water from the upper reaches of the Yangtze through tunnels in the high mountains of western China, is still in the planning stage.