Abstract: Soils in three typical bottomlands (Xiaoxihu, Liumenzha and Matang) around East Dongting were sampled and the contents of heavy metals in the soils were analyzed. The characteristics of heavy metal pollution and potential ecological risks were evaluated using the single factor pollution index method, Nemerow composite index method and Hakanson potential ecological risks index method. The results showed that the contents of Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Hg, and As in soils from the three bottomlands were 0.59-2.40 mg/kg, 114.52-119.94 mg/kg, 53.49-66.59 mg/kg, 42.88-83.46 mg/kg, 0.09-0.21 mg/kg and 11.65-24.04 mg/kg respectively. And the values of six indexes of heavy metals in the Matang bottomlands were higher than those in the Xiaoxihu and Liumenzha bottomlands. Of the six kinds of heavy metals, Cd pollution was the most severe one, as the content of Cd in Matang was 7 times more than the background value, and 3.8 times and 4.1 times more than the contents of Xiaoxihu and Liumenzha respectively. The single factor pollution index of different heavy metals were as follows, Cd > Ni > Hg > As > Pb > Cr, which also showed that the heaviest polluted bottomlands was in Matang, and then in Xiaoxihu, and the lightest polluted bottomlands was in Liumenzha. The potential ecological risks index of heavy metals and pollution grading evaluation showed that the soils in Liumenzha and Xiaoxihu were at low ecological risk, while the soils in Matang was at moderate ecological risk. Therefore, the heavy metal pollution in the bottomlands around Dongting Lake, especially in the area which connected to Xiangjiang River, should be attracted more and more attention and effective measures should be take to handle the heavy metal pollution in this district.