Experts believe the Yangtze River source is to have stable and
sustained glacial alimentation as glaciers in the Geladandong
region, source of the Yangtze River, haven't reduced dramatically
in the last 30 years, despite low water levels the river suffered
this year.
The Yangtze River dropped to its lowest water level this year, and
in the last 10 years, especially in the Three Gorges area where
runoff has lowered by more than 3,000 cubic meters per second.
However, related experts having carried out comprehensive research
recently conclude that the water source of the Yangtze River will
not dry up.
Glaciers in the Geladandong area, source of the Yangtze River on
the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, didn't retreat to any large degree in
the last 30 years as parts of them advance, Director of the Water
Resources Department of China's Ministry of Water Resources Wu
Jisong explained, adding that glacial conditions there indicate the
source of the Yangtze River has stable and sustaining glacial
thawing alimentation.
Comparative analysis and comprehensive research on some 70 glaciers
covering 899 square kilometers of the Geladandong region, conducted
by related experts, show the glacial area in the region has not
changed dramatically in general. In the 31-year period from 1969 to
2000, the glacial area has reduced by 1.7 percent, while 26
glaciers were in state of advancing.
Glacier shrinkage degree in this region is far less than that of
the Tianshan Mountains, Qilian Mountains, Yellow River source and
south and southeast parts of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The glacier
area of Tianshan Mountains experienced a reduction of 13.8 percent
from 1964 to 1993, Qilian Mountains a reduction of 10.3 percent
from 1956 to 1990, while the glacier area in the Yellow River
source district has reduced by 17 percent since 1969.
Glaciers in the Yangtze River source area belong to a class of
extreme continental glaciers which feature extremely cold climates
and comparatively rare precipitation, making for low ice
temperatures and slow moving speeds of the glaciers. Glaciers of
this class are less sensitive to climate change compared with other
classes. As glaciers in Geladandong retreat to a minor extent, the
Yangtze River source could get stable glacial alimentation thawing.
Therefore, experts think the glaciers there play an important role
in preserving benign development of the surrounding
eco-environmental system.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Tingting, April 12, 2003)