ABSTRACT
China's Yangtze is the third longest river in the world and also third largest in terms of annual flows. It is deeply rooted in China's history and culture. Over the centuries, the Yangtze's floods have killed tens of thousands of people, destroyed millions of homes and caused incalculable economic damage. On the positive side, the river is a source of water for people and their agriculture and a potential source of clean electricity to power the burgeoning economy, and has long been an important transport artery.
