Henan Province, central China - July 3, 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of water being discharged at Xiaolangdi Reservoir
2. Aerial shots of Yellow River, land

The Xiaolangdi Reservoir in central China's Henan Province began discharging sediment-laden water on Thursday, marking the start of the 2025 Yellow River water and sediment regulation campaign's crucial desilting phase, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

The operation, which will continue through July 9, is projected to flush over 100 million metric tons of sediment downstream while creating more than 60 million cubic meters of additional flood control capacity in the key hydro project.