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Katelyn Cutting
Yangtze River

The yangtze river is the third largest river in the world after the Nile and Amazon, and the
longest river in all of Asia. It is a total of 3,915 miles long and drains an area of 698,265 square miles.
Its source is the Ulan Moron River located on the Tibetan Plateau which is considerably fueled by
glacial melt. In addition, it has numerous tributaries, the largest and most notable including Min River,
Han River, Jialing River, Gan River, and Huangpu River (Travel China, 2013). The river is of
geographic significance as, generally, people consider it the dividing line between North and South
China. After its 695,265 mile journey, the Yangtze ends at the East China Sea. Because of its size it is
divided into three sections- the upper, middle, and lower courses (Greer, 2013).

The river is historically, culturally, and economically important to the country. New research
studying the history of the Yangtze suggests that the river most likely began as a set of small,
non-descript streams that drained both west and east out of the mountains in central China. Progression
and merging of these small streams over the span of centuries eventually gave way to what is now the
Yangtze. The same study suggests that the Yangtze is also much older than previously suspected at 45
million years (Durham University, 2010).

Humans have known to live along the river dating as far back as 27,000 years ago (Wanpo,
1995, p. 275). It is believed that these people were the first to invent pottery along the river banks and
lead generally sedentary lifestyles. It is believed that these people also began to cultivate rice 14,000

years ago in this area (Yasuda, 2008, p. 502).

The upper course consists of the first 1,600 miles of its length and encompasses its area from
the Tibetan Plateau to the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. During this length the river falls more than 17,000
feet in elevation. As it passes through the Tibetan highlands the river flows through a shallow spacious
valley that is studded with lakes and small reservoirs (eoearth). The banks of the upper course, once
almost entirely covered with permafrost are experiencing change. Across the Tibetan Plateau, 10% of
the permafrost has degraded in the last 10 years. The areas of alpine wetlands has decreased 37%, and
the high-vegetation cover alpine meadows have decreased 16%. The study found that the depth of the
ground that freezes and thaws every year was effecting the amount of water that could pass. Runoff
increased if the thawing layer was less than 60 centimeters deep but decreased if it was deeper. More
research needs to be done on this topic to be sure of the reasons, but researchers hypothesize this may
be because the ground around the thawing permafrost acts as a sponge soaking up water that would
otherwise be runoff (Qiu, 2012). The area of The area is much drier and warmer than it once was
contributing to the degradation of the permafrost. Scientists believe that the tibetan plateau is responding
differently to global climate change than the arctic. They believe that the warming climate is causing the
land of the plateau to become drier and prone to desertification rather than increasing its wetlands (Qiu,
2012). Consequently the soil organic matter and nitrogen content of the banks have decreased
significantly as well. From 1986-2000 the total losses of soil organic matter and nitrogen were
150.2Gkg and 7.69Gkg respectively (Wang, 2006).

The upper course of the river is composed of an array of marine sedimentary, igneous, and

metamorphic rocks, as well as Paleozoic limestone and terrigenous sedimentary rock with some granitic
material (eoearth). As the river reaches the eastern limits of the highlands the river flows southeasterly,
winding through the Bayan Har Mountains and forming a narrow valley up to two miles in depth. This
stretch is called the Jinsha. Next, the river turns to rushing rapids in the southern direction. The river is
so fast and steep during this portion that villages must be a considerable distance away. The river then
calms as it turns east, receiving water from many tributaries, the largest of which is the Yalong River.
The river then gets very large (1,000-1,300ft) and very deep (upwards of 30 feet). Near the end of the
upper course the river descends again to an elevation of 1,000 feet, contributing the 17,000 overall feet
it has fallen thusly. In the past, the upper portion of the river contained three endemic fish species in
great numbers- Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis), River sturgeon (A. dabryanus), and Chinese
paddlefish (Psephurus gladius). However, after the Gezhouba Dam was constructed in 1981, these
three species declined massively (Zhu, 2008, p. 565).
The Chinese Sturgeon, which is now a protected species, can live between 60-70 years and
reach lengths of up to 4 meters. They are considered living fossils of the Yangtze as they have been
around for 140 million years. They spawn in the ocean and, prior to the three gorges dam, would swim
3,000 kilometers to the city of Yibin. Now, to ensure the survival of there species, scientists must
capture approximately 20 mature fish each year to breed artificial, and release the young into the river
(Evans, 2007).

During the middle course, the Yangtze extends 630 miles from the cities of Yibin to Yichang.
During most of this section the rivers current is steady and the river banks are high and steep. This
section of the river contains the Three Gorges region. The gorges have steep, sheer slopes composed

mainly of thick limestone rocks (Greer, 2013). Qutang is the first gorge. It is surrounded by peaks
greater than 1,000 meters above the water. The second gorge is the Wushan and the third is the Xiling.
Historically, this stretch is the most dangerous as it was once filled with fast paced rapids (Evans, 2007).
The Three Gorges Region contains the Three Gorges Dam, the largest dam project and largest
hydroelectric power station in the world (Greer, 2013). Prior to the creation of the Three Gorges Dam,
the gorges rose almost 2,000 feet above the river. In the past, the river was also fast flowing with many
rapids and eddies (Greer, 2013).

The dam itself is 600 feet high and spans a mile and a half across. It includes the worlds largest
hydroelectric power plant which stores the energy needed to mine, wash, and transport the coal from
northern China. It also reduces coal consumption by 31 million tonnes per year which reduces
greenhouse gas emissions by 100 million tonnes. It also greatly reduces dust and volatile emissions such
as carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, mercury, and sulfur dioxide (eoearth).

The dam project was completed in 2009, and since the start of its creation in 1992, it had
slowed the rivers current drastically as far as 370 miles upstream. The rapids and eddies are now gone
and the landscape is drastically changed (Kuhn, 2008). The river now deposits 40% less sediment
downstream per year, while sediment loading has decreased 55%. (Yang, 2008). Nutrient ratios are
also being changed; before the dams construction the Si:N ratio was 1.5. After its construction it was
altered to 0.4. This drop has limited phytoplankton competition as it has limited diatom growth. Once
the most abundant phytoplankton in the area, diatoms are unable to thrive because of limited Si.
Flagellates such as prymnesiophytes, cryptophytes, and chrysophytes have now become the dominant

organisms in the zone. Most importantly, primary production in the light saturated zone felt a decrease of
86% between 1998 and 2003 (Gong, 2006).

The river also carries significantly less water downstream and out to the East China Sea. During
its first 10 days of water storage, the dam stored 39 billion m3 of water, causing an abrupt decline in the
water downstream. This decline caused noticeable changes to the microbial community. Pico-sized
autotrophs, and heterotrophic bacteria became smaller and microbial diversity decreased as a whole
(Jiao, 2007, pg 1288). This effect is being magnified up the food chain and many organisms are not
adjusting to the changing environment. For example, the Yangtze river dolphin is now declared
functionally extinct. These dolphins were once salt water dolphins that resided in the shallow sea that
flooded the Yangtze River Basin during the middle miocene. As the sea eventually lowered and the area
became the freshwater river, the dolphins adapted and became freshwater dolphins. Now these
dolphins may be gone (NOAA, 2013).

This entire region was once known for its rich biodiversity, encompassing 6,388 species of
plants belonging to 238 families and 1508 genera. Of these plants, 57% are now endangered (eoearth).
The Yangtze River basin was also once home to 361 different fish species. Freshwater fish are
especially affected by dams due to changes in the water temperature and flow of water. The monthly
average water temperature has increased 7.5% since the addition of the dam to a mean of 18.7C
(Xiao, 2009). The fish can also be injured in the turbine blades of the hydroelectric plant. The endemic
fish population is decreasing due to these changing conditions (eoearth). The Three Gorges Dam also
threatens one of the worlds largest fisheries in the East China Sea. After the reservoir was filled in

2003, scientists detected a massive decline in phytoplankton as a result of chemical changes to the
water downstream (International Rivers, 2008). The annual mean ammonia-N decreased by a total of
50.9% and the annual mean dissolved oxygen concentration decreased by a total of 9.6% (Xiao,
2009). Because of the drastic decrease in phytoplankton which forms the base of fishery food chains, it
is estimated that the annual catches may be reduced by one million tonnes (International Rivers, 2008).

Another hazard of the Three Gorges Dam is that it sits on two major seismic faults, the Jiuwanxi
and the Zigui-Badong. Many geologists believe that the change in water pressure caused from rapid
raising or lowering of the reservoir could trigger massive earthquakes. In 2006, 822 tremors were
recorded around the reservoir after a water level increase at the dam (International Rivers, 2008).

Other human influences have contributed to damages in the middle course of the Yangtze river.
In the past 30 years, the forest cover of the surrounding area has been reduced to half of what it once
was, meaning the area exposed to erosion has doubled in size (Hongfu, 2001). There has also been
increased erosion in the Yangtze reservoir induced by the rising water which has triggered a noticeable
disturbance in the reservoirs surface, decreasing light penetration and thus primary production. Since
2010 there have also been 97 significant landslides as a result of erosion (eoearth). This is predicted to
further increase flooding of the surrounding area in future years. The lake sizes have also been reduced
to a fraction of their original size due to siltation and land reclamation. This results in decreased flood
storage capacity. The construction of levees, in particular the Great Jinjiang levee, has also decreased
the rivers discharge capacity to between 60,000-68,000m3/s which is only sufficient for moderate
flooding, This has caused flood levels to rise downstream and increased silting above the riverbed

(Hongfu, 2001).

Before the dam was built, traveling along the Yangtze was also a difficult task. The recent
reduction in flow rate has made travel up the Yangtze much more manageable. In fact, before 1800
about 33% of all boats and 25% of all goods passing through the Three Gorges region were destroyed
(Evans, 2007). Flooding has also caused a large problem for the people of this region. The government
stated that flood control was the primary reason for the construction of the Three Gorges dam. Before
the construction the floods of the Yangtze claimed the lives of approximately 1 million people. Prior to
the dam, the area experienced 24 floods with discharges higher than 60,000 m3/s ( the 10-year
frequency flood), 8 floods with discharges higher than 80,000m3/s (the 40 year frequency flood), and 2
floods with discharges greater than 110,000m3/s (the 1,000 year frequency flood) (Ponseti, 2006, p.
161). However, the dam, which aimed at saving the lives of people, is forcing more than 1.3 million
people to move from their homes along the river. The Three Gorges Dam has flooded 13 cities, 140
towns, 1352 villages, 1,300 archeological sites, and 100,000 acres of fertile farm land (Jackson, 2000).
Among these submerged structures were hundreds of factories, mines and waste dumps. In addition to
pollution from these contaminated sites, increased urbanization along the reservoir caused wastewater
discharge to double between 2000 and 2005. The increased nitrogen and phosphorus being contributed
to the river from contamination has led to algal blooms in the reservoir and tributaries, affecting drinking
water supplies (International Rivers, 2008). The river provides drinking water for about 400 million
people so stream health should be of particular importance.

The original idea for the dam was proposed in 1919 by Dr. Sun Yat-Sen as a plan to redevelop

industry by generating electricity. The project was researched for many years but was abandoned due
to the Chinese civil war in World War II. Due to continued floods along the Yangtze, the topic was
revisited in 1953 but again abandoned by political campaigns such as the Great Leap Forward and
the Proletarian Cultural Revolution. In 1973 it was once again revisited for the main reason to produce
more electricity for economic growth. The government believed they needed to produce more energy
for coal mining and other industrial operations for the region (Ponseti, 2006, p. 153).In 2007, officials
acknowledged the problems with the dam system and allocated $3.2 billion to resettlement and water
treatment facilities to clean up the reservoir (International Rivers, 2008).

The lower course of the Yangtze is concentrated on the lowland plains of east-central China.
During this section the river exits the Three Gorges region and enters a system of complex lakes and
marshes. During recent time this area has served as a large natural flood-regulation basin. Three main
tributaries, the Yuan, Xiang, and Han, join the Yangtze in this region where the river slows to about 3.5
ft/sec and levels off. This area is called the lakes region as it contains many large lakes including the
Dongting, Hong, and Liangzi lakes (Greer, 2013). This lakes region is becoming increasingly polluted
with high concentrations of heavy metals such as Lead, Zinc, Copper, and Cadmium. These pollutants
are attributed to large amounts of untreated industrial discharge and municipal sewage production within
the lake catchments. These heavy metals are accumulating in the lake sediments. The upper portion of
the this area is the most polluted from mining waste waters but overall this entire region is classified as
moderately-polluted. It is not believed that pollution corresponds with recent development because of
recent environmental regulation laws, but the effects of urbanization on heavy metal concentrations have
yet to be fully studied (Zeng, 2013). The Chinese government has also passed renewable energy laws in

2005, mandating that the country get 15% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. This law
along with the difficulties experienced from the Three Gorges Dam has caused the Chinese government
to plan two dams in the upper course, the Xiangjiaba and the Jinsha. There hope is that these dams will
combat rising sedimentation behind the Three Gorges while producing renewable energy (International
Rivers, 2008).

Further along to the northeast, the Yangtze flows out onto the North China Plain. Towards the
end of its course, the Yangtze begins to form a delta which consists of a large number of tributaries,
lakes, and marshes that connect to the main channel. During major floods, the delta area is completely
submerged. Farther downstream, the delta divides into two branches before emptying independently
into the East China Sea (Greer, 2013). The river deposits an average of 1,050,000 million cubic meters
of water per year into the East China Sea (China, 2013). This area of the river has a bed that is rich in
mud and silt and is dominated by fluvial and tidal processes. The dominant biota of this area are rushes
(Scripus triquetor), phragmites (Phragmites australis), crabs (Ilyoplax deschampsin and Helice
tridens tientsinensis), snails (Bullacta exarata), clams (Corbicula fluminea), and wading birds
(Calidris ruficollis), along with large amounts of phytoplankton. This area is also a stopping point for
many birds in the Pacific-Asia Flyway (Jianjian, 2001, p. 165). From living in the Yangtze these
organisms all acquire high amounts of zinc, copper, lead, and cadmium into their systems from runoff
from the many miles up stream. Once these organisms die the metals are once again released into the
environment contributing to the high levels (Jianjian, 2001, p. 165).

It is difficult for scientists to know exactly what lies in each area of the Yangtze. Because of the

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rivers size, mobile organisms are very migratory and may reach depths that are inaccessible to humans.
Human activity has greatly impacted the biota of the river by overfishing, pollution, and landscape
changes (Zhu, 2008, p. 565). Other endemic species to the Yangtze river that have been seriously
threatened by commercial used of the river, tourism, and pollution are the Chinese alligator, the finless
porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides), and the Chinese paddlefish (Psephurus gladius). The
Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis), an apex predator, is critically endangered as a result of habitat
loss due to drying. If it becomes extinct it will be the first species of crocodilian to become extinct in the
wild in historical times (Thorbajarnarson, 2002, p. 94).

The Yangtze has undergone many problems due to people over the last century. The natural
forest cover of the area has substantially decreased contributing to massive erosion of land into the river.
Many dams including the large Three Gorges Dam have been added to the river altering its course and
causing problems they aimed at avoiding. In addition, increased population growth and industrialization
have increased pollutants in the river. These problems have caused a lot of attention because of the size
and popularity of the river. The Yangtze river is the main source of freshwater to Chinas public.
Organizations such as The Nature Conservancy are working to develop sustainable alternatives and
alterations to the dams so that they mimic natural river flows and reduce impact on fish populations
(Places We Protect, 2013). Coca-Cola has also partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to create
outreach programs to educate the Chinese public about the importance of minimizing pollution into the
river and wetland conservation (WWF and Coca-Cola, 2013).

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China.org (2013). The Yangtze River. Retrieved from http://www.china.org.cn/english/travel/40876.htm

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