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The Yangtze River, which has the largest freight volume in the world, is a golden waterway of most importance in China. But there are still some sections with poor navigation standards that impede the potential of the channel from being fully exploited. This paper aims to investigate the possibility of navigation capacity improvement through the joint dispatching optimization of the controlled reservoir group in the upper Yangtze River. The construction and operation situations of the controlled reservoir group are introduced, and the contribution of the current joint dispatching scheme to the Yangtze River Waterway is then analysed. Based on the growing demand for inland water transportation, the possibility of navigation capacity improvement through the joint dispatching optimization is further investigated. The results show that the channel dimension of Yibin-Chongqing and Yichang-Chenglingji section has improved to a certain degree under the current joint dispatching mode, further promotion is possible through the optimization of joint dispatching for those years when the amount of suppliable water during dry seasons is much greater than the shipping demand. Policy suggestions on joint dispatching are finally proposed.