| Major rivers | Description | Water resources availability (billion m3) | Per capita water availability (m3/year. Capita) | Situational facts |
| Song-Liao | The Liao River is an important river in the northeast of China. Having a length of 1390 km, the river flows through Hebei, Jilin and Liaoning provinces and empties into the Bohai Sea. | 172.07 | 1700 | Considerable changes have been made to improve the quality of the water, although deterioration of the water has not ceased. Some marked areas are occasionally flooded, but basin-wide floods are rare. |
| Huai | The 1078 km Huai River rises in the Tobaishan Mountains, flows through the provinces of Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu, and flows into the Yangtze River at Jiangdu, Yangzhou. The river is famous for its difficult management. | 89.06* | 505 | Pollution and deterioration have been reported to worsen. Carcinogenic diseases have been linked to river pollution in the 1980s and 1990s. |
| Yellow | The Yellow River, considered to be “the mother” of the Chinese rivers and the second longest river in the country, with a length of 5.464 km, originates from the western province of Qinghai and crosses 9 provinces before joining the Bohai River in the province of Shandong. The River is celebrated for its connection to the rich culture and civilization of China. | 61.06 | 749 | The cradle of Chinese civilization, transportation and irrigation. High strain on water (63 per cent) and high susceptibility to water and climate hazards. Diminishing water volumes and changing flow rates. Water quality deterioration from intensified use of agri-chemicals and irrigation. |