From July 7 to 13, 2025, NHRI carried out a seven-day scientific expedition to the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers as part of the "14th Five-Year" National Key R&D Program sub-project "Utilization and Protection Strategies of Water Resources in the Source Regions of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers", under the "14th Five-Year" National Key R&D Program project "Evolution of Cryosphere Elements and Its Impacts on Water Resources of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers and Response Strategies". Senior Engineer CHEN Liangang, Dr. QIU Yuanlin, and Dr. WU Nan, key researchers from Eco-Hydrology and Smart Water Resources Team at Hydrology and Water Resources Department of NHRI, participated in the expedition.

 Overcoming challenges, such as altitude sickness, inconvenient transportation, and unpredictable weather, the expedition team traveled across many key areas in Yushu, Guoluo, and Huangnan in Qinghai Province at altitudes above 4,000 m to conduct in-depth investigations into water resources conservation and lake level changes in critical water bodies, including the Huangheqing Wetland in Guide, Lake Gyaring, Lake Ngoring, Longbaotan Wetlands, and lakes along the Qingzang Railway, and examined snow and glacier melt conditions in the Aemye Ma-chhen Range and Yuzhu Peak. The team also implemented fieldwork, including flow velocity measurements and river width surveys in the mainstream and tributaries of the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, visited key field stations, such as the Longbao Alpine Wetland Eco-Meteorological Observation Station and Zhimenda Hydrologic Station, and conducted extensive discussions with frontline staff to learn about the latest observational data and trends in runoff and permafrost changes. Through this expedition, the team gained insights into the multiple impacts of climate change on hydrologic processes, ecosystems, soil and water conservation, and land subsidence in alpine cold regions, laying a solid foundation for subsequent research.

 Senior Engineer CHEN Liangang, Chief Engineer of the Hydrology and Water Resources Department of NHRI, is the leader of the sub-project with a focus on the water balance evolution in the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers against the backdrop of cryosphere changes, as well as its impacts on and adaptation to sustainable water resources utilization. The sub-project aims to analyze the impacts of cryosphere changes on water balance, ecological patterns, water resources carrying capacity, and hydraulic engineering safety in the source regions, evaluate the current status and future trends of the secured utilization of water resources, and propose scientifically sound adaptive strategies for water resources utilization and protection.