BEIJING - The result of China's first-ever national water census is expected to be released in the second half of 2012 as part of a plan to understand the country’s national water conservation efforts, senior officials said on Monday.

The three-year census, starting from 2010, covers rivers, lakes, water conservation projects and institutions as well as domestic water use. 

The survey will focus on the numbers of lakes and rivers, the condition of various water conservation projects, particularly irrigation zones, the protection of rivers and lakes, reservoirs and other water supply facilities.

Program planning, fieldwork, and training for the census has finished, the Ministry of Water Resources announced on Monday.

A summary of data collection and processing, a key part of the census, will take place for six months, ending in June. Nearly 800,000 surveyors will participate, Chen Lei, minister of water resources, said. 

The minister urged local branches of government to try their best to ensure water quality during the on-going census.