· ·

Lake Poyang, China’s largest freshwater lake parched

lake-poyang-chinas-largest-freshwater-lake-parched

Cracks are seen on the dried riverbed of Poyang lake, China’s largest freshwater lake, in Duchangcounty in East China’s Jiangxi province. The surface water of the lake has shrunk toless than 200 square kilometers, one-twentieth of its peak level, due to water shortages in the upperreaches of the Yangtze river.  Having experienced many geological changes, Poyang Lake is now wide in the south and narrow in the north, like a huge gourd tied on the waist of the Yangtze River.

China’s two largest fresh water lakes – Dongting Lake in Hunan and Poyang Lake in Jiangxi – are both drying up dramatically and almost 40 million people had been affected in the five provinces, the ministry said, citing reports from local civil affairs departments.

Poyang Lake, located in Jiangxi Province is the largest freshwater lake in China. It is fed by the Gan, Xin, andXiu rivers, which connect to the Yangtse through a channel.  Sand dredging has become a mainstay of local economic development in the last few years, and is an important source of revenue in the region that borders Poyang Lake. But at the same time, high-density dredging projects have been the principal cause of the death of the local wildlife population. Dredging makes the waters of the lake muddier, and the porpoises cannot see as far as they once could, and have to rely on their highly-developed sonar systems to avoid obstacles and look for food. Large ships enter and leave the lake at the rate of two a minute and such a high density of shipping means the porpoises have difficulty hearing their food, and also cannot swim freely from one bank to the other.

Covering an area of 4,000 square kilometers, Poyang is China’s largest freshwater lake. So far it has escaped major industrial pollution, thanks to relatively slow economic development in Jiangxi. The lake is fed by five rivers and connects to the lower reaches of the Yangtze. Lake waters flow into the Yangtze during dry seasons, while in the rainy seasons Lake Poyang is replenished with floods. The yearly changes in water level also help maintain one of the most important wetlands in the world.

Poyang’s dynamic ecosystem provides a unique and critical habitat for a variety of waterbirds, many of which are endangered species. About 98 percent of the world’s Siberian cranes depend on the lake for survival each winter, according to the International Crane Foundation. It is also home to more than 120 species of fish and 300 species of birds. Its precious near-natural state is now endangered by the province’s plan to build a 2.8- km-wide dam with sluice gates across the narrowest part of the channel that links Poyang and Yangtze. The reason cited by the provincial government is that the lake and surrounding areas have suffered from low water levels almost every winter in the past decade.

The seasonal decline in winter water level now starts earlier and lasts longer. In an extreme cases, parts of  Lake Poyang turned into grassland in June as central China battled the worst drought in a century. Changing climate patterns on the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze, water storage behind the Three Gorges Dam, and increased water consumption by nearby communities are responsible for the frequent low water level. From 1952 to 2010, extremely low water levels (shallower than 8 meters) were recorded seven times. Six of them came after 2003, when the Three Gorges Dam started to hold back water for electricity generation according to official statistics.

Three Gorges to inject water into river

China’s Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest water control and hydropowerproject, is scheduled to inject water into the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in early January 2012. The dam has run steadily for nearly two months since it reached its designedhighest mark, a water level of 175 meters. Monitoring statistics show that  the water inflow into the dam was about 5,000 cubicmeters per second, equal to the water discharged to the lower reaches.

The Yangtze River has its dry season each winter and spring. According to the project design,the dam will fluctuate in the dry season to release about 22.1 billion cubic meters of its storagecapacity, with emergency scheduling in some extreme conditions. The dam in central Hubei province completed its first full-capacity test last October. The Three Gorges Project was launched in 1993 with a budget equivalent to $22.5 billion. (ChinaDaily)

Oriental Bermuda Triangle

The “Oriental Bermuda Triangle” is located at the north side of Poyang Lake, near the Laoye Temple. Between the early 1960s and late 1980s, more than 200 ships sank in the area, resulting in the deaths of 1,600 people. This includes the events of one day – August 3, 1985 – when 13 ships sank. None of the wrecks has ever been found.

An infra-red photo has shown that there is a huge sandbank 2 miles’ long under the waters, which some think is the reason why deadly whirlpools formed, leading to the tragedies. However, local people tend to believe a legend according to which the founder of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, was saved by a big turtle in a battle near Poyang Lake. In order to show his gratitude, Zhu built a temple there in memory of the turtle, which is the Laoye Temple. The locals believe that it’s the turtle that is responsible for the deaths of so many people. (GlobalTimes.cn)

Share:

Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

2 Comments

  1. Read well and study on your own after you have read this.

    This is not a game or joke our Sun gives off a Solar Wind all day year round if you live in the State of Alaska you see it in the sky above what a sight it is going through our Earth’s Magnet Polls of the North and the South, North Poll. Its Called the Northern Lights or the Aurora Borealis.

    The day will come when you will be able to see it all over Earth as in the year 1859 Solar Flare, It was the largest in 500 years. Two Astronomer’s Hodgson and Carrington told the World that the Solar Flare made a Geomagnetic Storm reach Earth in hours not days. Back then it gave new meaning to Reach For The Skies from Telegraph Operators. For hours sparks flew from the key board. Even after the Batteries were disconnected. Nov 3 and 4, 2003 had a X40+ Class Solar Flare.

    Our Sun’s UV Rays will get stronger as each passing day go’s by, read and i will tell you why.

    The Great big forest have be striped from most of the Earth for Greed of Money by the Wicked. The trees our are Main Source of Oxygen on this Plant.
    The Forest Trees scrubs the Pollution out of the air and makes Oxygen from the rain and dirt that it grows in.

    The Forest Trees do more then just make Oxygen they stop Soil Erosion, just Look at the 1930 Dust Bowl. Greed by our Government taxes led farmers to clear cut all their Forest and farm all the land they were being Tax on. They had to farm it to pay for the Taxes. Why leave the Trees when food crop makes Money. This Did not Help the Depression that effected most all Worldwide. This year 2012 more then 100 million will suffer from Malnutrition lack of food and Dehydration lack of water. Many will die!

    In the United States of America alone more than 45 Million Americans Received Food Stamps and that number is going up every day every year for more then 3 years in a row now.

    The Pollution and CO2 Carbon Dioxide go into the Tree Bark as a shield from most bugs so they do not eat the tree.

    Less Forest less Oxygen this is why the moon. That has no Oxygen is very cold on the side with out Sun Light, And hot as ever on the side with Sun Light. Way too cold and too hot to live there. You would need at least 10 times the Energy we use on Earth to even live there and life on the Moon would be very short.

    With no blank of Oxygen to lessen or reduce the Sun’s UV Rays and Solar Wind they are deadly there on our Moon. Every Mt. Climber and Aircraft Pilot knows the higher you go the thinner the Oxygen and colder it gets.

    Just spend a night on a Mt. top above 13,000 feet with no Sun Light and you will see or should i say feel the cold stinging any of your exposed skin. If you are new to Mt. Climbing stay below 10,000Ft. The Astronauts and the Cosmonauts and Fighter Pilots that i have been with for years know this very well, and the Radiation Hazards to humans at High Altitudes.

    Soon the Sun’s Solar Wind and UV rays will be way to strong for most to go out in the Sun Light for even a short time. The Geomagnetic Storm to come and the Bad Weather Storms well you have not seen nothing yet and the Sea Level is Rising the Oceans. Many Millions have been affected by Floods in China and Pakistan just last year. In 2005 Over a Thousand dead in New Orleans flood, and the list going on.

    And there shall be famines, and pestilences, and Earthquakes, in divers places such as was not from the beginning of the Creation.

    The last 30 years On Earth we have broke all high temp records and the temp it is still going up. All the Worlds Ice Glacier are melting at an Accelerating Rate. The Glaciers and Polar Ice Caps store more water than all the Fresh Water Lakes on Earth. Many of them are drying up or water levels are going down past the lowest point every recorded.

    The Bad Weather Storms now are Babies compared to what is to come.

    They will get even bigger and worse less Oxygen the more UV Rays to the Earth and more Water molecules will evaporate and go up into the Earth’s Atmosphere. Less Oxygen the colder with out sun light and hotter with it.

    The Sky full of more water vapor molecules, more snow in the winter and more Flash Floods in the Summer. All earth will see way more fires and the Deserts are growing larger.

    If every living person on Earth were to Plant A Tree Today we might have a chance.

    The Earth’s Atmosphere Blanket surrounding it protects life on Earth as Our Lord and GOD will all that seek Him.

    Then it is written when the tree is full it is harvest time. All the Earth will someday burn away.

    This is all Foretold in the Bible Read it
    and may our Lord Bless all that do so.

    The Lord’s Little Helper
    Paul Felix Schott

    solardowork@yahoo.com
    KI4-AEX

    P.S.
    2 Peter 3:10
    But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the Earth and its works will be burned up.

    GOD Bless You and Your Love ones
    Give thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ every day.

    Read
    Luke 21:20-22
    Matthew 24: 30-33

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *