By 20:45 Saturday, the water level of the Three Gorges Reservoir had reached 125.40 meters, less than 10 meters from its target of 135 meters.

The reservoir started storing water at 00:00 hours on June 1 as the sluice gate began to close.

The water level is expected to rise by four to five meters daily in order to reach 135 meters by June 15. Navigation on the Yangtze River is expected to resume on June 16 after a lapse of 67 days.

Records from the monitoring department show that, since Sunday, the reservoir's inflow volume has gradually declined from 12,500 cubic meters per second to 11,500 cubic meters per second at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, approaching the required minimum rate of 11,400 cubic meters per second.

Fortunately, a much-needed rainfall, which began on Wednesday night and lasted through Thursday morning, alleviated the situation, and an additional two-to-three-day rainfall is forecasted for the period leading up to June 15, according to the local meteorological station.

(Xinhua News Agency June 8, 2003)