Effect of Returning River Water on Sandy Desertification Reversion at Lower Reaches of Tarim River

The region, at the lower reaches of Tarim River, is one of the most severe areas suffered from sandy desertification in China. Due to human irrational resource exploitation in recent 50 years, many environment problems have appeared at the lower reaches of Tarim River, such as the river has been cut by 320 km, ground-water level decreased, vegetation degenerated and desertification developed. The project of returning river water to lower reaches of Tarim River was carried out to control desertification in this region. Its effect on desertification reversion has been analyzed according to the monitoring data in recent three years.;The groundwater level, vegetation coverage and species all changed obviously. Along river, the intensity and the scope of desertification reversion in upper reaches are larger than that in lower reaches. Away from river line, changes are obvious in near region than that in far region. At present the effected range is limited, it is suggested that the way and the range of returning water should be adjusted for more land.