Water gushes out from the Xiaolangdi Reservoir on the Yellow River during a sand-washing operation in Mengjin County, Henan Province, yesterday. The Yellow River has been plagued by an increasing amount of mud and sand. Each year, the river bed rises as silt deposits build up, slowing the water flow in the lower reaches. The Xiaolangdi Reservoir, in the middle reach of the Yellow River, has experienced 14 sand-washing operations since 2002.China News Service