Introduction
The Yangtze River is an iconic water body, with a vast portion part of it flowing through the People’s Republic of China. It is the longest river in the world stretching almost 4,000 miles and carries with it an incredible amount of natural and cultural history. However, one of the most commonly asked questions about the Yangtze is, what color is the river? In this article, we provide an exploration of this question, taking into account the interests of historians, environmentalists and hydrologists alike.
Expert Perspectives
>From an historian’s point of view, the color of the Yangtze River can range from a creamy beige to its more natural muddy brown. This variance in color largely depends on the area in question. For example, in certain areas such as Three Gorges Dam, the water may have an ochre or egg yellow coloring due to abstractions or dredging.
Environmentalists present a more concerning view. In large coastal cities, such as Wuhan and Shanghai, the river has steadily become a deep milky brown — a color that can be attributed to the vast amount of pollution it has been exposed to. Worryingly, while the better development and protection of the river is being pushed, the amount of denitrification, sediment transport, and pollution is still on a steep rise.
The hydrologist’s perspective reveals that, other than variance in color due to human input, the river naturally lightens downstream due to surface runoff and evaporation, leaving behind suspended matter in the form of finer particles. There are natural inputs to the clarity of the river — for example, in June and July, the melting snow from the Tibetan Plateau and Sichuan glaciers act as natural tributaries and generally lighten the river further downstream.
Cultural Significance
The wide array of colors the Yangtze is capable of baring has been associated with significant cultural implications through the ages. For instance, the lighter shades of the river were considered to be positive harbingers of luck and fortune, while the darker hues were associated with misfortune and bad luck. There are many folk tales within China that are still based on an individual’s perception of the color of the Yangtze.
In remote areas, the river has also been a source of sustenance for many animal and plant species. Unique factors like the coloring of the water, largely due to suspended matter, make the river an ideal habitat for creatures such as the Chinese Sturgeon — an ancient fish species which is a relic from the last Ice Age — and the over-exploited Chinese White Dolphin.
Analysis
It is certainly true that the color of the Yangtze River is incredibly varied and easily affected by outside forces such as human interference. However, the implementation of various cultural beliefs and the development of sustainable living practices could cause the Yangtze to retain its natural characteristics.
On the environmental side, dust particles that are being swept down the river by the winds play a vital role in the moderation of the river’s color. A combination of pollutants and sediment found in the air as a result of human activity settle in the water, making the cause and source of this coloration an area of great importance for future research.
There are alarming signals that the waters of the Yangtze River are not in the best condition. Climate change and human interference are impacting the photosynthesis of plants, the melting of glaciers and the migratory patterns of marine life. Ultimately, this illustrates the need for more conscious and ethical stewardship of this incredible body of water.
Environmental Damage
The Yangtze color has not just been impacted by the dust particles settling in the water but also by human interference. The river is constantly being exposed to waste from both agriculture and industrial activity. For example, the plastic witch often clogs the river and kills off many of the aquatic species, severely damaging the ecosystem.
Rivers, in general, are quite the vulnerable environment, and the Yangtze is no exception. Erosion due to sedimentation, changing water levels caused by dams on the Yangtze, and the mass use of fertilizers in the land around the river, has all jeopardized the environment of the river.
The proposed Three Gorges Dam project is set to be one of the biggest of its kind in the world, and could mean further detrimental effects on the surrounding environment. Pollution from the dams would be a major issue, meaning that the quality and color of the Yangtze’s water could be further harmed. The developments of these projects have already had an impact, with the water containing an ochre-brown color, due to sediment erosion, releasing coloured particles into the river.
Economic Impact
The roads that have been built in order to build the Three Gorges Dam have also led to deforestation, with very few trees left in the area. This alteration of the environment means that the marine life has been affected, and fishermen in the region have found it difficult to rely on the river as a source of income.
Furthermore, pollution has caused severe economic losses, with large fish kills, decreased tourism in the area, and the introduction of floating garbage seriously affecting the ecosystems and economy of the Yangtze River.
Conservation
The China Yangtze River Protection Program was created in 2008 in order to address the environmental degradation of the Yangtze. This program implemented a series of environmental protection measures in order to improve the state of the river.
The rotation of the slides in the Three Gorges Dam area have allowed for a decrease in erosion, the reduction of sediment release and the promotion of species diversity. Also, the promotion of wetland promotion, ban on fishing and the gradual introduction of more pollution controls have helped to maintain the river’s biodiversity.
Projects such as the East China Sea Initiative have also been set up in order to protect the Yangtze from pollution from further upstream. This scheme has placed limits on emissions and targets for the reduction of emissions by 2020.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is a wide array of perspectives that contribute to the coloring of the Yangtze River. Historically its color has been seen as an omen of luck and fortune, while in modern times, human interference has had a negative impact on its ecosystem and environment. Various measures to protect the river are being taken by the Chinese government, through initiatives such as the China Yangtze River Protection Program, the East China Sea Initiative and the Three Gorges Dam project, in order to sustain the river’s environment and economy. The color of the Yangtze River is multifaceted and complex, affecting anyone who is directly or indirectly involved with it.
