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.

Forest Resources

Yichang is a mountainous city known as the "Green Treasure House" which is endowed with very rich forest resources and a great variety of biological species. The area of forestry land is 1468666.6 hectares, which is 70% of the total land. The forest area is 1136666.6 hectares, which is 73% of the area of forestry land. The rate of forest coverage (excluding bushes) reaches 58%; the volume of living woods is 50.56 million cubic meters. The number of seed plants of the city totals 5582 (1630 species are unique to China) which is one seventh of the total amount of Chinese seed plants.

The already known number of terrestrial vertebrates in Yichang is 610, including 177 national and provincial protected animals.

In the city, there are 23 national forest farms occupying business areas of 73.3333 thousand hectares, 11 forest parks (6 national ones, 3 provincial ones and 2 municipal ones) with the area of 50,000 hectares. Besides, 1 national nature reserve, 2 provincial nature reserves, 33 provincial natural protection areas, 3 municipal natural protection areas and 13 municipal wetland reserves are built. The total coverage of the natural reserved area reaches 182 thousand hectares.