Draw and label the Ganges and Yangtze Rivers on a map

Ganges and Yangtze Rivers Pollution

GPS SS7G10 The student will discuss environmental issues across Southern and Eastern Asia. a. Describe the causes and effects of pollution on the Yangtze and Ganges Rivers.

E. Q. How does pollution affect the Ganges and Yangtze Rivers and the people who live near them?

D. Q. What makes a river polluted?

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Ganges River - India 1557 miles long (2506 km) Starts in an ice cave on the southern slopes of the Himalayas Flows eastward & empties into the Bay of Bengal.

Importance of Ganges River Farmers depend on the river for their crops. Millions depend on river for washing, cooking, drinking & to carry away their waste. Many worship the Ganges as a goddess, whose waters will cleanse them of sin and help them attain moksha, or salvation, by carrying their ashes to heaven.

Threats to Ganges River Pollution Rapidly modernizing India Industrial needs Water needs

Pollution from Cities Local industries dump toxic chemicals into the river Sewage treatment plants dump raw sewage into the river

Problems: nearly 1 billion liters per day - of mostly untreated raw sewage Inadequate cremation procedures: large number of partially burnt or unburnt corpses floating down the Ganga

Effects of Pollution: People suffer from skin diseases and other health problems Decreased farm harvests Livestock become sick

A woman with a skin disease rests near offerings and trash on the banks of the Ganges in Kanpur, India.

Raw sewage, shown as the darker section of water, flowing into the Ganges at Kanpur.

Yangtze (Chang Jiang) River - China

Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) - China Longest river in Asia: over 6,300 kilometers long Third longest river in the world Empties into East China Sea

Importance of Yangtze River Has largest hydro-electric dam in world Important for transportation – 1 of world’s busiest waterways Important for farming

Threats to Yangtze River Pollution from industrial and agricultural discharges, along with sewage and ship waste: Sewage and industrial waste dumping totalled 23.4 billion tons in 2001 many industrial enterprises established in 1960s-1970s have become the main sources of river pollution.

Effects of Pollution Numbers of animal species declining: from 126 to 52 species Causes diseases like cancer Drinking water of 500 cities threatened 3 Gorges Dam Reservoir: seriously polluted with pesticides, fertilizers and sewage from passenger boats

Pollution

Summary: Thinking Map Cause and Effect Flow Map Causes of Pollution on the Ganges and Yangtze Rivers Effects of Pollution on the Ganges and Yangtze Rivers