Taihu Lake is one of the five largest freshwater lakes in China. Belonging to the crustal subsidence area, the lake basin is dish-shaped and is a typical shallow water huff and puff lake. Generally, it has the ability to regulate the drought and flood of rivers. River sediments have an important influence on the evolution of lakes.
Taihu Lake is located in the subtropical zone, with a mild and humid climate and a monsoon climate. There are many rivers, ports and estuaries in Taihu Lake, with more than 50 major rivers entering and leaving. Taihu Lake drainage system shows a discharge trend from west to east, with an average annual runoff of 7.5 billion cubic meters and a storage capacity of 4.4 billion cubic meters. Taihu Lake has more than 50 islands, of which 18 are inhabited.