Abstract: Surface sediment samples were collected from seven tributaries of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, which had been filled to a water depth of 175 m, to study the characteristics of the pollution caused by the sediment over time. The analysis of the nutritive salts, heavy metal contents and pollution characteristics indicated that the nutritive salt contents of the surface sediments from the seven tributaries exceeded the limits, though the majority showed acceptable levels of benthos. The total nitrogen content, w(TN), at the No. 21 section of Longxi River and the total phosphorus content, w(TP), with the highest values at the No. 19 section, were 1.97 and 2.03 g/kg, respectively. The enrichment factor (EF) and the potential ecological risk index (RI) were used to evaluate the heavy metal enrichment and pollution levels. The result was Hg>As>Cd>Pb>Cu>Zn>Mn>Cr in terms of the EF; only the EFs of Mn and Cr were smaller than 1.0. The averages of the RI values of the heavy metals were 160±35; this indicated a moderate ecological risk. The analysis of the sediment pollution sources showed that, in the surface sediments deposited on the tributaries' riverbeds, the nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants mainly originated from agricultural non-point source pollution, TOM was mainly contributed by the zooplankton and phytoplankton, and heavy metal pollution was caused primarily by the discharge of industrial sewage and agricultural activities in the catchment areas. After the reservoir began to store water, the contents of nutrients and heavy metals in the sediments all showed an overall upward trend. Based on the analysis, suggestions for the pollution control were made as follows:delimiting priority areas for pollution prevention and control, focusing the efforts on solving agricultural non-point source pollution, improving domestic wastewater disposal in rural areas, and controlling and reducing industrial pollution by establishing a strict environmental access system.