Abstract: The old and new water problems of Yangtze River intertwined as disturbed by intensifying human activities and increasingly frequent climate change. In line with the new requirements posed by the 14^th Five-Year Plan and the Great Protection of the Yangtze River, we analyzed the basic situation of Yangtze River’s four water problems from a macroscopic view: water resources problem involving local water shortage, insufficient management performance and others, water environment problem including excessive total phosphorus emission and unclear characteristics of persistent organic pollutants, water ecology problem such as sharp decline in ecological capacity and biological resources, as well as water-related disaster problem like frequent extreme floods and droughts. We further revealed the external driving influences of climate change factors such as temperature increase and human factors such as hydropower development, shipping, agricultural activities, and urbanization on the development and change of the four water problems. We also expounded the internal connection and feedback mechanism among the four water problems in expectation of enhancing people’s understanding of the coupling relationship among the four water problems and improving the ability of managing the Yangtze River.

Key words: four water problems of the Yangtze River, basic situation, water system, coupling relationship, Yangtze River Economic Belt, the Great Protection of the Yangtze River