Inner Mongolia’s largest lake stops shrinking

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2015-08-06

Hulun Lake – the largest lake in Inner Mongolia autonomous region and China’s fifth largest inland lake - stopped shrinking this summer, according to Inner Mongolia Meteorological Administration on August 4.

A bird-eye's view of Hulun Lake in Inner Mongolia. [Photo/Xinhua]

The data from 1999 to January in 2014 show that Hulun Lake has shrunk by 15 percent during this period, while the water area fell from 2,377 square kilometers to 1,774 square kilometers.

The lake area is about 2,061.9 square kilometers now, according to recent monitoring on its area, 31.48 square kilometers more than the same period in 2014.

Hulun Lake is located on the juncture of Manzhouli, New Barag Right Banner and New Barag Left Banner. The precipitation of the three areas all decreased in June.

Though precipitation is lower, the lake’s area increased, said the local meteorological administration, which claimed that the local ecological improvement measures played a role in the process.

Local governments have taken measures to improve the environment around Hulun Lake, such as artificial precipitation, dredging drains and growing trees or grass around the lake.