Impact of human activities on Yangtze Estuary and countermeasures

At present,the Yangtze Estuary area has possessed the most strategic advantages for social and economic development in the Yangtze River Basin,but its environmental bearing capacity of resources is limited and the habitat conditions are fragile.This paper presents a summary and analysis of the impact of climate change and human activities on the Yangtze Estuary,including quality-type water shortage with increase of water use and aggravation of salt tide invasion;aggravation of water body pollution in the estuary area due to increase of waste water discharge in the area along the river;erosion of river bank and tidal land because of higher frequency of red tide,sediment storage and clean water discharge by the reservoirs in upper reaches;and a series of negative effects caused by other development activities in the area.The general idea of accelerating regulation and protection of the estuary and various relationships to be well handled are illustrated.The guiding countermeasures of unified water regulation and allocation in the basin,strengthening protection of water ecology,wetland ecology and water environment,scientific research and unified management for the key issues that may have effects on the estuary are put forward,so as to achieve sustainable development of the Yangtze Estuary.