The Xiaojiang River, located in the northeastern part of the Yunnan Province with a population of 400 thousand in its 3,000 km² catchment area, is a tributary of the Jinshajiang River, an upper reach of the Yangtzhe River. Because of the river basin's steep topography, fragile geological conditions and poor vegetation due to long exploitation history of mining, the river basin has been seriously devastated, resulting in degradation of conservation of water and soil. Moreover, the area along the Xiaojiang fault is one of the most habitual earthquake areas in China. 13 earthquakes greater than Magnitude 4.0 were recorded around the Xiaojiang River Basin only in the last 40 years. Such earthquakes are also another factors of the devastation of the Xiaojiang River Basin.

Under the severe natural conditions, sediment disasters including debris flows and landslides have habitually occurred. 66 deaths, 1,700 destructed houses, 3,300 ha of affected agricultural land were reported since 1960's. Xincun, the political and economical center of Dongchuan District, were often isolated due to cuts of the roads and the railway by disasters.