(China Daily) A dredging project was kicked off recently in Central China's Hubei Province, marking the start of a large-scale dredging project on the Yangtze River.

It will take the water resources departments more than a month to dredge and deepen a 10-kilometre long river section in the city of Chibi, officials said.

Within 17 years, the nation will invest 16 billion yuan (US$1.9 billion) to conduct comprehensive dredging projects at 40 spots along thethe Yangtze River.