Global water management experts gathered in Chengdu this week for the 28th International Commission on Large Dams Congress, where China's Minister of Water Resources Li Guoying called for accelerated development of intelligent dam systems to address escalating climate risks. The three-day forum brought together engineers and policymakers from 102 countries and regions to share innovations in flood control and renewable energy integration.
"Smart dams equipped with real-time monitoring and AI-driven decision systems will be our frontline defense against extreme weather," Minister Li stated during his keynote address. The proposal aligns with China's recent infrastructure modernization push, which has seen 12 major river basins adopt predictive maintenance technologies since 2022.
Delegates from Southeast Asian nations particularly emphasized cross-border data sharing initiatives. Dr. Anika Varma, a hydraulic engineer from India, noted: "The Brahmaputra River Basin project demonstrates how satellite-linked early warning systems can benefit multiple nations simultaneously."
The conference concluded with plans to establish an international smart dam research consortium, with preliminary agreements signed between Chinese technical institutes and partners from the DPRK, Pakistan, and Central Asian states.
