Circular map with China highlighted

The limitations to increased navigation are not merely the gorges, but include the precipitation regimes along the river. There can be catastrophic precipitation in any of the three main zones, viz., the upper Yangtze, the middle reaches, or on the 

On the other hand, in 1954, 193,000 km (47.75 million acres) of land were flooded, and 18,884,000 people had to be evacuated from Wuhan (population 8 million people) and the surrounding area for more than three months. At least 33,169 people drowned and the Jingguang Railway was out of service for over 100 days (China Culture Mall Trading Group, Inc., 2007). 

some 900 km (560 mi) inland, is the area in which Chinese agriculture began in Neolithic times, 4,000-10,000 years ago, at the junction of the Han and Yangtze rivers (Ren, 1996). This area represents some of the most fertile land in a country where less than 10% of the land is suitable for intensive agriculture. Wuhan was the capital during the first two Chinese dynasties, before the center of political power moved north. 

This is the largest hydroelectric project in the world, with a generating capacity projected to be 22,500 megawatts when it becomes fully operational in 2011. It will have 34 generators, of which 32 are main generators with an output of 700 MW. The other two are power plant generators producing 50 MW. 

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