Relationship between Waterway Depth and Low-Flow Water Levels in Reaches below the Three Gorges Dam
Publication: Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 145, Issue 1
Abstract
This study analyzes low-flow water levels and expansion of waterway depths in the Yangtze River. It focuses on waterways in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, known as the Golden Waterway, which are key components of the Yangtze River Economic Zone. Data from 2003 to 2016 indicate that long-distance sedimentation and scour occurs in the downstream channel of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD). High scouring leads to increased waterway depths and greatly reduces the low-flow water level, causing a corresponding decrease in the lowest navigable water level despite increases in both minimum discharge and water level. Waterway depths and widths have increased under the combined actions of river scour and waterway engineering projects, achieving the goals set for 2020, 5 years in advance. Moreover, this study found that the dimensions of the waterways downstream of the dam can be further increased. These findings could be a useful reference for assessing the impacts of reservoir impoundment on downstream water levels and depth, and could assist water resource managers with decision-making processes.
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Acknowledgments
This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 51809131 and 51579123), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant 2016YFC0402106), the Open Research Fund Program of State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science (Grant 2016HLG02), and the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Welfare Research Institutes (Grants TKS160103 and TKS180201). The hydrological data for this study were provided by the Bureau of Hydrology, Changjiang Water Resources Commission, China, and the Yangtze River Waterway Bureau. The contributions of other organizations and individuals involved are gratefully acknowledged.
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Published In
Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering
Volume 145 • Issue 1 • January 2019
Copyright
© 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 8, 2018
Accepted: Jun 1, 2018
Published online: Oct 17, 2018
Published in print: Jan 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Mar 17, 2019
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