The work of dredging a river course at the estuary of the Yellow River, the country's second longest, has been launched in a bid to remove silt and lower the riverbed, according to a source with the government of Dongying city at the estuary on Tuesday.

The dredging project will be carried out at a 2,600-m-long section, costing an estimated investment of 4.8 million yuan (approximately US$580,000). 

When the project is completed by late October, the riverbed will be 1.5-1.6 meters lower than the present level, making it easier for shipping vessels passing through and anchoring at the

site.

The river mouth was silted up over recent years, and the riverbed became increasingly higher with each year. The river course, with a radius of three square meters to the Hongguang

Fishing Port, is now two meters higher than the required depth of the navigation channel.

As a consequence, numerous inbound fishing vessels have to anchor at pelagic seas since the river's narrow course cannot accommodate all inbound vessels. And Typhoon also poses a great threat to these vessels. 

(Xinhua News Agency August 24, 2004)