Publications

Zhou, YQ; Jeppesen, E; Li, JB; Zhang, YL; Zhang, XP; Li, XC (2016). Impacts of Three Gorges Reservoir on the sedimentation regimes in the downstream-linked two largest Chinese freshwater lakes. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, 6, 35396.

Abstract
We studied the impacts of Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) on the sedimentation regimes in the downstream-linked two largest Chinese freshwater lakes, Lake Dongting and Lake Poyang. Our results indicate that up to 1.73 x 10(9) t sediment was retained in TGR from June 2003 to December 2014. This resulted in a 145.9 x 10(6) t yr(-1) decline in the suspended sediment load at Zhicheng and a 16.8 x 10(6) t yr(-1) lower sediment flow from Yangtze River to Lake Dongting, which partially explains the 13.4 x 10(6) t yr(-1) lower sedimentation in Lake Dongting during the post-TGR period. Furthermore, TGR resulted in a 0.5 +/- 0.3 m reduction of the multi-year mean water level at the Lake Poyang outlet Hukou, accelerating the suspended sediment export discharge from the lake. The reduced sedimentation in Lake Poyang during the post-TGR period was estimated to 6.3 x 10(6) t yr(-1). We estimate that a monthly mean concentration of sediment flow from TGR below 0.60 kg m(-3) will lead to erosion in Lake Dongting and Lake Poyang. Better regulation of TGR may extend the life expectancy of the two vanishing large lakes.

DOI:
10.1038/srep35396

ISSN:
2045-2322