Currently, in Zhangye, Gansu, 1.1 million mu of seed corn is in a critical grain-filling period. Meteorological monitoring shows that since June this year, the average temperature in Zhangye has been higher than the multi-year average, while the city's average precipitation has decreased by 40 to 50 percent. The natural flow of major rivers in the region is lower than usual, with the Heihe River down about 10 percent and the Liyuan River down about 30 percent, leading to a shortfall in agricultural irrigation water. As of now, approximately 100,000 mu of farmland in the city are affected by drought.

A reporter from the main station observed in Shajing Town, Ganzhou District, that some corn in the grain-filling stage showed signs of drought stress, such as curled leaves. Additionally, crop growth varies across different plots, with some fields severely impacted—leaves are drying from the tip downward, turning yellow-brown, and the number of grains per ear is lower than in previous years, resulting in poor growth. According to agricultural technicians, this is linked to factors such as corn variety, irrigation water volume, soil water retention capacity, and weather conditions during the flowering and pollination period.

It is reported that the Zhangye Water Affairs Department is allocating limited irrigation water based on the farmland area of each village and community. By reducing the time per irrigation session and strictly controlling the water volume per mu, they aim to ensure basic water supply for crop growth and actively respond to the drought. To date, most farmland in the area has undergone 7 to 9 rounds of irrigation. The Gansu Provincial Water Resources Department has coordinated the Huangzangsi Reservoir upstream of the Heihe River to release over 30 million cubic meters of supplementary water, timely increasing the reservoir's average daily outflow to ensure irrigation water for the midstream areas. As of early August, the province has allocated nearly 700 million cubic meters of emergency drought relief water, with 120 million cubic meters directed to Zhangye.