Water Resources

Huangpu River

Dotted with many rivers and lakes, Shanghai is known for its rich water resources, with the water area totaling 697 square kilometers and accounting for 11% of the city’s total territory. Most of the rivers, including the Suzhou Creek, Chuanyang River and Dianpu River are tributaries of the Huangpu River. The total water reserve in Shanghai stands at 2.7 billion cubic meters, 200 cubic meters per capita.

Originating from the Taihu Lake, the 113-kilometer-long Huangpu River winds through the downtown area of the city. The river is about 300 to 770 meters wide with an average width standing at 360 meters. The ice-free Huangpu River is the main waterway in the Shanghai area. The Shanghai section of the Suzhou Creek runs 54 kilometers, with an average width of 45 meters. The city’s largest lake, Dianshan Lake, covers 62 square kilometers.

Facing the East China Sea, Shanghai has abundant aquatic resources. There are a total of more than 700 types of aquatic products in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea. In addition, Shanghai is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River where sea water and fresh water converge. The wide river mouth is home to 108 species of fish including 20 economic fishes. Shanghai also boasts a number of natural lakes with abundant bottom living things such as conch, Corbicula leana (a fresh-water variety of bivalves) and clam.

Shanghai.gov.cn