Abstract: According to the growth background, the structure of resources and environment, and the social economic function, Jianghan Lakes Region is defined as the area under the altitude of 50 m in Jianghan Plain of Hubei Province, which covers the area from E111°36′38.76″ to E116°7′52.14″ in longitude and from N29°25′59.25″ to N31°27′14.45″ in latitude. The area is 46.64×103 km2 in geographic calibration and 64.75×103 km2 in regionalism. With the help of RS/GIS, a conclusion can be drawn that the amount of lakes in Jianghan Lakes Region decreased in the last 50 years, however it fluctuated in some years. From 1950s to the beginning of 20th Century(year 2000), the number of lakes with the area above 0.1 km2 has decreased as a whole in each decade, and the total area decreased as well. The number in 1950s is 1 309, and in the following decades, it decreased to 611, 612, 838, 768, and then to 771 in year 2000. The total area in 1950s is 8 503.7 km2, and it also decreased to 5 462.5 km2, 2 933.8 km2, 2 977.3 km2 and 3 451.4 km2 in following decades, and then to 3 188.1 km2 in year 2000. In the recent 50 years, the area of most lakes reduced or some of them withered away, and the main reason of such evolution in Jianghan Lakes Region is because of excessive exploitation.

Key words: Jianghan Lakes Region, evolution, RS/GIS, quantity, area