Turpan Basin in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has taken measures to reduce groundwater tapping so as to preserve rare oasis on the scorching desert.

According to the local government's recent regulations, land cultivation and well-digging should be strictly controlled to save groundwater.

Any land use projects should require approvals from the state resources authorities, the regulations say.

Turpan Basin is China's lowest and most seething terrain. The groundwater level has dropped 20-30 meters lower than the level measured at the beginning of 1980s.

The population expansion in accompany with industrial and agricultural developments in the region is exhausting the limited groundwater resources.

Electricity-powered wells go deeper and deeper, as the cost of well-digging and water supply rocket in the past few years. The over exploitation of groundwater also caused 833 out of 1,237 karezs in the basin dry out.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2005)