ZHENGZHOU: Drought-stricken areas along the 5,464-km-long Yellow River - China's second-largest watercourse - have brought water to parched croplands by increasing the flow from dams and water-diversion channels in the lower reaches.

Irrigation systems in Henan and Shandong provinces had diverted 651 million cu m of water to 471,000 hectares of farmland by Monday, An Xindai, a spokesman for the Yellow River Conservancy Commission under the Ministry of Water Resources, said yesterday.

Half of Henan's and 35 percent of Shandong's irrigation needs have been satisfied through the measures, and the authority will continue closely monitoring and adjusting water flows, An added.