Besides the Yangtze River and the Qingjiang River, another 99 middle and small rivers run across Yichang. The potential 30 million kWh of hydropower capacity accounts for 8% of the state total, 15% of the Yangtze River, and 99% of Hubei province. The Three Gorges Hydropower Station, the world biggest one, generate over 100 billion kWh of electricity annually by its 32 generators with capacity of 22.4 million kW. The first hydropower station in Yangtze River, Gezhouba station generates 15.7 billion kWh of electricity annually by its 21 generators with capacity of 2.715 million kW. The provincial biggest hydropower station, first on the Qingjiang River, produces 3.4 billion kWh of electricity ever year by 4 generators with capacity of 1.2 million kw. Another station on the Qingjiang River, Gaobazhou Hydro station produces 0.898 billion kWh of electricity each year by 3 generators with capacity of 252 thousand kW. Together with another 300 medium and small hydropower stations, a total amount of electricity capacity of 30 million kW is produced in Yichang. It\'s pretty rare in the world for such rich hydropower resources and developed exploration system centered in less than 100 kilometers distance. Yichang, obviously, lives up to the title “the world city of hydropower”.

The General Situation of Water Resources

The river water system belongs to the Yangtze River basin and can be divided into the 5 water systems: the trunk river of the upper Yangtze River, the middle the Yangtze River, the Qingjiang River, the Dongting Lake and the Lishui River. Not counting the mainstream of Yangtze River and the Qingjiang River, there are 164 rivers occupying respectively a catchment area of over 30 square kilometers within the territory which accounts for 91.5% of the catchment areas in Yichang. The total length of the rivers is 5089 kilometers and the river density is 0.24 kilometers per square kilometer. Among them, there are 14 first-level tributaries occupying respectively a catchment area of over 300 square kilometers and 4 tributaries which cover respectively a catchment area of over 1000 square kilometers (the Juzhang River, the Huangbai River, the Xiangxi River and the Yuyang River). The reserves of hydraulic power (except for the Yangtze River and the The Qingjiang River) are 1.75 million kilowatts and the exploitable hydropower is 1.05 million kilowatts. The total capacity of water resources is 13.1 billion cubic meters; and the volume of cross-boundary water is about 457.2 billion cubic meters.

Main Rivers

Yangtze River

It passes through the Yichang City beginning from the Pishuixia Gorge in Zigui County,   and ending at the Yiazikou Village of Zhijiang County, with a total length of 237 kilometers in Yichang city.

The Qingjiang River

The Qingjiang River, originating from Xiaojiatang village, Qiyue Mountain, Lichuan City, Enshi Autonomous Prefecture, is the largest tributary of Yangtze River with a total length of 440 kilometers. Flowing from the Salt Pond Town of Changyang Tujia Autonomous County into Yangtze River in Lucheng Town of Yidu City, it is 153 kilometers long in Yichang City

Xiangxi River (Fragrant River)

This river was named according to the story which told that one of the Chinese ancient four beauties, Wang Zhaojun, once washed yarns in it and made the water diffuse aroma. It originates from Luomadian, Shennongjia Forest Region, flows through Xingshan County (the original Gaoyang Town in old town areas) and finally infuses into the Yangtze River in Xiangxi Town, Zigui County after a long journey of 110 kilometers.

Ju-Zhang River

The Ju-Zhang River is converged from two tributaries in Lianghekou, Dangyang City. One is the west tributary---Ju River, with a length of 226 km, which originates from Weijia Dayan of Baokang County. The other is the east tributary--- Zhang River, with a length of 199 km, which originates from Heilin of Baokang County. It is 88 kilometers long and flows into the Yangtze River in the boundary of the Yichang City and the Jingzhou City.

Huangbai River

Its east tributary, originating from Heiliang Mountain, Zhangcunping Village of Yichang County, is 126 kilometers long. Its west tributary, originating from Wulang Village of Yichang County, is 70 kilometers long. These two tributaries converge into a 32 km main river nearby Huanghuachang Village of Yichang County, which flows through Xiaoxita, the county town of Yichang County, and infuses into the Yangtze River at the end.