According to the Qinghai Province Weather Bureau, monitoring by the Qinghai Provincial Meteorological Research Institute shows that the area of Qinghai Lake, which decreased in 2004 to its lowest point in over 40 years, has been increasing continuously for the past three years. The water level has also been climbing toward former levels.
Since 2004, the area of Qinghai Lake has been increasing gradually each year. According to figures from the Qinghai Province Weather Bureau, the area of Qinghai Lake was 4,186 square kilometers in 2004. It rose by 78 square kilometers in 2005, 88 square kilometers in 2006, and 137 square kilometers in 2007.
Qinghai Weather Bureau chief Chen Xiaoguang offered the following analysis: The area of Qinghai Lake has increased primarily for two reasons. First, in recent years, Qinghai Province has increased environmental protection and comprehensive treatment work for Qinghai Lake, thereby improving the environment of the area. Second, through manmade rain, the amount of water in the lake has risen, and the runoff has increased significantly.
