The Qu Tang Gorge is the most upstream of the three Gorges. It is historically famous for the narrow and crooked river course with speedy flow, which was very dangerous for navigation. After the first flooding in 2002, the headland in the middle of the picture was entirely submerged up to where I stood and took this picture (175m). The banks of the Yang-tze river here are now much further apart. The lower part of the Bai Di City was also permanently submerged, together with a lot of historical locations and structures.

I went to Bai Di city on the last day before the lower level area including the piers was closed to prepare for the flooding in 2003. There was a local TV news team shooting for documentary record at the Bai Di Temple on the mid-level which would be flooded right up to its threshold.