Abstract: Geochronology, geo-accumulation index (Igeo), Hakanson Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method were used to analyze vertical variation characteristics, sources, potential ecological risk of Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn of Changshouhu Reservoir sediments in the Three Gorges Reservoir area. The Igeo results showed that the pollution extent of heavy metals in sediments from high to low were Cd, Co, Zn, Ni, Pb, Cu, Cr. Cd and Zn accumulated severely, showing a mildly contamination. The potential ecological risk evaluation results showed that RI values of the most of heavy metals in sediments were below 150, indicating that the overall potential ecological risk was light. But the RI value had been greater than 150 since 1989, which should be paid more attention to. The sources analysis results showed that the heavy metals were mainly derived from self-weathered soil and soil erosion, and also affected by industrial waste water and domestic sewage discharge caused by urbanization and industrial development in Longxi River basin.