Yangtze water environment deteriorating: Report

时间：2007-04-16 09:02:45

（单词翻译:单击）

Apr.15 - The 2007 annual report on Yangtze River protection and development shows that more than 600 kilometers of the river are in critical condition. The report says almost 30 percent of its major tributaries1, including the Minjiang, Tuojiang, Xiangjiang and Huangpu rivers, are seriously polluted.

 

The report says the river's annual harvest of aquatic2 products dropped from 427,000 tons in the 1950s to about 100,000 tons in the 1990s.

 

A separate study by the Yangtze River Water Resources Commission shows cities along the river discharge at least 14.2 billion tons of polluted water every year, 42 percent of China's total.

 

Pollution, damming and too many boats have caused a dramatic decline in Yangtze aquatic life. While rare species such as the white-flag dolphin are thought to be on the verge3 of extinction4, even common species such as carp are gasping5 for survival, the report said.

 

"The impact of human activities on the Yangtze water ecology is largely irreversible," said Yang Guishan, a researcher of the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and one of the chief editors of the report. "It's a pressing job to regulate such activities in all the Yangtze drainage areas and promote harmonious6 development of man and nature."

 

The report, complied by Yang's institute, the Yangtze River Water Resources Commission and the WWF, also warned of the higher flood risks.

 

The Yangtze accounts for about 35 percent of China's total fresh water resources but it's also responsible for 70 to 75 percent of the country's floods, the report said.

 

"Flood control remains7 an arduous8 task along the Yangtze, given the rising temperature and frequent occurrences of extreme weather over the last 50 years," said Yang.

 

Although the Three Gorges9 Dam, the world's largest water storage facility, has reduced flood risks in the middle reaches, the risk of flooding remains high in the lower reaches, he said.

 

The report also assessed the Three Gorges Dam project, showing its huge reservoir is seriously polluted by pesticides10, fertilizers and sewage from passenger boats.

 

China allocated11 4 billion yuan (513 million U.S. dollars) in 2002 to offset12 the impact of the dam on the ecology, the local environment and the local people, said Prof. Weng Lida, former head of the Yangtze River Water Resources Commission, adding that more cash is coming.

 

"We have to take into consideration the proper settlement of the people who have been displaced, environmental protection, heavy silting13 and the prevention of geological disasters," said Weng who cautioned that "faster is not always better."

 

The water level in the Three Gorges reservoir reached a landmark14 156 meters last October, but some provinces want the level to go higher so more electricity can be produced, Weng said.

 

"Higher water levels will worsen pollution and silting. We have to seek more sustained development," he said.

 
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1 tributaries b4e105caf2ca2e0705dc8dc3ed061602     
n. 支流
参考例句：
  • In such areas small tributaries or gullies will not show. 在这些地区，小的支流和冲沟显示不出来。
  • These tributaries are subsequent streams which erode strike valley. 这些支流系即为蚀出走向谷的次生河。
2 aquatic mvXzk     
adj.水生的，水栖的
参考例句：
  • Aquatic sports include swimming and rowing.水上运动包括游泳和划船。
  • We visited an aquatic city in Italy.我们在意大利访问过一个水上城市。
3 verge gUtzQ     
n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临
参考例句：
  • The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
  • She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。
4 extinction sPwzP     
n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种
参考例句：
  • The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
  • The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。
5 gasping gasping     
adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词
参考例句：
  • He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
  • "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗？”“我巴不得能喝点！”
6 harmonious EdWzx     
adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的
参考例句：
  • Their harmonious relationship resulted in part from their similar goals.他们关系融洽的部分原因是他们有着相似的目标。
  • The room was painted in harmonious colors.房间油漆得色彩调和。
7 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
8 arduous 5vxzd     
adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的
参考例句：
  • We must have patience in doing arduous work.我们做艰苦的工作要有耐性。
  • The task was more arduous than he had calculated.这项任务比他所估计的要艰巨得多。
9 gorges 5cde0ae7c1a8aab9d4231408f62e6d4d     
n.山峡，峡谷( gorge的名词复数 )；咽喉v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的第三人称单数 )；作呕
参考例句：
  • The explorers were confronted with gorges(that were)almost impassable and rivers(that were)often unfordable. 探险人员面临着几乎是无路可通的峡谷和常常是无法渡过的河流。 来自辞典例句
  • We visited the Yangtse Gorges last summer. 去年夏天我们游历了长江三峡。 来自辞典例句
10 pesticides abb0488ed6905584ea91347395a890e8     
n.杀虫剂( pesticide的名词复数 )；除害药物
参考例句：
  • vegetables grown without the use of pesticides 未用杀虫剂种植的蔬菜
  • There is a lot of concern over the amount of herbicides and pesticides used in farming. 人们对农业上灭草剂和杀虫剂的用量非常担忧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 allocated 01868918c8cec5bc8773e98ae11a0f54     
adj. 分配的 动词allocate的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
  • The Ford Foundation allocated millions of dollars for cancer research. 福特基金会拨款数百万美元用于癌症研究。
  • More funds will now be allocated to charitable organizations. 现在会拨更多的资金给慈善组织。
12 offset mIZx8     
n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿
参考例句：
  • Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
  • He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。
13 silting 29e58c7c11dd83eef776c88a8b7bc23b     
n.淤积，淤塞，充填v.（河流等）为淤泥淤塞( silt的现在分词 )；（使）淤塞
参考例句：
  • Mud is silting up the stream. 泥沙把小河淤塞了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The harbour is slowly silting up. 港口正在慢慢地被淤泥堵塞。 来自互联网
14 landmark j2DxG     
n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标
参考例句：
  • The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
  • The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

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