China's Three Gorges Dam is discharging more water to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River to help fight a drought that has plagued central China for months.

Water levels in the middle and lower reaches of the river have risen recently, according to figures released by the Yangtze River Water Conservancy Commission.

Water levels in the river's Hankou region rose by 1.34 meters to reach 16.59 meters, while water levels in the Jiujiang region rose to 10.58 meters, 1.1 meters higher than on May 15, when the water levels were at their lowest point.

Water levels in Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake have risen by 1.56 meters and 1.16 meters, respectively.

In order to ensure steady supplies of water and safe passage for vessels on the Yangtze, the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has ordered more water discharges from the Three Gorges Dam, the country's largest hydropower project.

As a result, the water level in the Three Gorges Reservoir on the other side of the dam has dropped to 153.07 meters, about one meter lower than Friday's level.

About 600 million cubic meters of water have been discharged from the dam over the past three days, the water conservancy commission said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2011)