Characteristics of Discharge and SedimentTransportation in Yangtze River

A multi yearly (1865 1985) hydrological records were collected from the upper, mid and lower Yangtze drainage basin, respectively, to examine the temporal and spatial distribution of the discharge and sediment load. The result shows that the Yangtze discharge obviously increases from the upper drainage basin downstream. Sediment load along the Yangtze is reversal to what was observed from the discharge. Dramatic reduction in sediment load occurs in the mid Yangtze to account for the changes of river variables such as decreased slope and evolved plain river pattern of the mid Yangtze from the upper reach. Sediment load in the lower Yangtze, even still significantly less than that of the upper Yangtze, becomes slightly increased from the mid Yangtze.