Since last winter, there has been little rain in Anhui, 20-30% of the annual rainfall in usual years. Frequent, strong winds have intensified the drought; usually high temperature increased the evaporation. Drought this year is large in scope; in addition Anhui, most of the areas north of the Yangtze River have been affected. Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Shandong and northern Jiangsu are suffering the worst drought in the last 50 years.

Many reservoirs in Anhui are not well managed or in poor conditions, having no adequate capacity to adjust the water needs.

Serious water pollution turned some water resources useless. In the city of Mingguang, water pollution turns 120,000 people in city in serious water shortage.