5% of the Yangtze River Basin under Mild or Higher Erosion

December 2021, the Yangtze River (Changjiang) Water Resources Commission published its 2020 Report of Soil Erosion in the Yangtze River Basin, documenting the situation of soil erosion in the Basin in 2020.

According to data in the Report, soil erosion is still taking place in 337,000 km² of the river basin. The number has decreased by 9,700 km² compared to 2018, but still accounted for 18.81% of the total area. Among the eroded areas, most were under mild erosion, while moderate or higher intensities of erosion is taking place in only 4.8% of the area.

Among its sub-basins, the lower Jinshajiang River, middle and lower Minjiang-Tuojiang Rivers and Jialingjiang River, upper and middle Wujiang-Chishuihe Rivers, and the catchment of the Three Gorges Reservoir were mainly eroded by water. Wind erosion was taking place mainly in the upper Jinshajiang River.