Author(s): Zanting Chen
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Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: The Yellow River, the second largest water course in China, is so called because of the high sediment concentration and muddy water in yellow colour. Flowing through the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau, the loess plateau and the N. China Plains, the river is the cradle of the Chinese nation, brought up and nurtured in its basin. It was, however, also known as the Sorrow of China due to the untold calamities as a result of innumerable dyke breaches consequent of rainstorms in summer or ice run in winter with ups and downs of dynasties after dynasties. During the 50 odd years in 1883-1938,17 dyke breaches occurred in time of ice run on the lower reaches alone, whereas in the Nei Monggol reach, unprotected by dykes prior to liberation, ice floods inflicted losses on the local inhabitants almost every year, to different degrees though, bringing about indescribably intense miseries. During the 30 years or more since liberation, much experience has been gained in conquering the Yellow River. For 10 odd years on end in the Nei Monggol reach and over 30 years in a row on the lower course, no dyke breach occurred as a result of ice run, the complexity of which rendering its menace far from being removed once and for ever. The paper deals briefly with the general features and ice condition of the Yellow River, as also ice flood prevention.
Year: 1986