In order to protect State water resources, water areas and water projects and to promote the sustainable development of Shanghai, the Measures of the Shanghai Municipality on the Implementation of the 'Law of the People’s Republic of China on Water' stipulates the following legal obligations for those who destroy water resources, water areas and water projects:

Water intake, storage or drainage that affects or damages others shall be stopped immediately; otherwise, a fine shall be paid.

The following are deemed as illegal behavior, without prior approval from the Shanghai Municipal Flood Prevention Headquarters: the damage of water projects; hydrologic supervision equipment and other flood prevention facilities; bombs, well-digging, the taking of stones and earth, and other behavior that harms water security along river courses and lakes and the protection and administration areas of various water projects, as well as digging on frontline flood prevention banks and normal banks. A fine ranging from RMB 1,000.00 to RMB 50,000.00 shall be paid and compensation measures shall be taken before a set deadline.

The following are deemed as illegal behavior: enclosing lakes or tidal shoals for cultivation; putting objects in river courses and lakes to prevent floods from getting through; carrying out water or construction projects without approval; damaging flood prevention banks that damage water security; putting bamboo and wood in river courses and lakes to prevent floods from getting through; building new, or renovating and expanding old ferries or revetments; water surface or under-water operations that might affect floods from getting through or the security of flood prevention banks. A fine ranging from RMB 1,000.00 to RMB 30,000.00 shall be paid and compensation measures shall be taken before a set deadline.

The following are deemed as illegal behavior: animal stocking; cultivation or the building of sheds; building tombs within the protection and administration area of watercourses; lakes and water projects without approval from water affairs departments; storing bamboo and wood in watercourses; cutting forests and wood along river banks; damaging wave-prevention objects; dumping industrial and construction wastes and rubbish into watercourses, lakes and their banks. Any such hindering objects shall be taken away and confiscated, and a fine ranging from RMB 1,000.00 to RMB 10,000.00 shall be paid.