Flow resistance adjustments of channel and bars in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in response to the operation of the Three Gorges Dam

doi:10.1007/s11442-022-2034-1

Abstract

Abstract:

Since the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) was put into operation, the flood water level at an identical discharge rate has not displayed a decreasing trend along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (MYR). The flow resistance variations of the channel and bars in response to the operation of the TGD remain poorly understood, despite the importance of understanding these for water disaster mitigation and water environment regulation. Herein, the impacts of the TGD on the downstream flow resistance of the channel and bars in the MYR were analyzed using systematic surveys of hydrological datasets, cross- sectional profiles, sediment datasets, and remote sensing images, during different periods. Under the actual natural conditions in the MYR, a modified semi-empirical formula, which considered the grain, dune resistance, as well as the topographic features of the riverbed, was proposed to predict the channel resistance. Furthermore, the effect of various dam-control flow and sediment elements on the variation in different flow resistance components, and the corresponding relationships among them were investigated. Results showed a decline in the comprehensive, channel, and bar resistances as the discharge increased, whereas there was a slight increase when reaching the bank-full discharges. Notably, the bar resistance occupied 65%, while the channel resistance, in which dune resistance was much larger than grain resistance, contributed 35% to the comprehensive resistance. In addition, while flow resistance rose over time, there was a decline as the distance from the TGD increased. In conclusion, the increased dune and bar resistances, interpreted by the fluctuated channel longitudinal profile and growing vegetated area on bars, were the dominant factors preventing the flood water level from dropping.

Key words: flow resistance, water level, channel geomorphology, bar, Three Gorges Dam, Middle Yangtze River

HU Yong, DENG Jinyun, LI Yitian, LIU Congcong, HE Zican. Flow resistance adjustments of channel and bars in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in response to the operation of the Three Gorges Dam[J].Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2022, 32(10): 2013-2035.

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Station number	Station name	Bar number	Bar name	Channel number	Included reaches	Length
1	Yichang	1	Yanzhi	Sub-reach 1	Yichang-Zhicheng	60.8 km
2	Yidu	2	Guan	Sub-reach 2	Zhicheng-Majiadian	34.8 km
3	Zhicheng	3	Liutiao	Sub-reach 3	Majiadian-Shashi	47.9 km
4	Xinjiangkou	4	Lalin	Sub-reach 4	Shashi-Shishou	88.3 km
5	Shadaoguan	5	Tuqi	Sub-reach 5	Shishou-Jianli	76.8 km
6	Majiadian	6	Ouchikou	Sub-reach 6	Jianli-Chenglingji	99.4 km
7	Mituosi	7	Wugui	Sub-reach 7	Chenglingji-Hankou	251 km
8	Shashi	8	Dama	Sub-reach 8	Hankou-Jiujiang	270 km
9	Kangjiagang	9	Xiongjia	Sub-reach 9	Jiujiang-Hukou	25.4 km
10	Guanjiapu	10	Zhong
11	Shishou	11	Fuxing
12	Jianli	12	Hankou
13	Chenglingji	13	Tianxing
14	Luoshan	14	Dongcao
15	Xiantao	15	Daijia	Period number	Impounded water level (m)	Included years
16	Hankou	16	Zhangjia	1	-	Before 2002
17	Jiujiang			2	135.0-139.0 144.0-156.0 145.0-172.8	2003-2005 2006-2007 2008
18	Hukou			3	145.0-171.4 145.0-175.0	2009 2010-present

Data type	Number (station/bar/channel)	Period of record	Sources
Daily discharge	Stations 1-18	1991-2015	CWRC
Daily water level	Stations 1-18	1991-2015	CWRC
Daily sediment concentration	Stations 1-18	1991-2015	CWRC
Surveyed profiles	Sub-reaches 1-9 (450 cross-section profiles per year)	2004, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015	CWRC
Surveyed terrains	Sub-reaches 1-9 (two-dimensional terrain)	2015	CWRC
Medium diameters of bed load	Stations 1, 3, 8, 12, 14, 16	2003-2019	CWRC
Landsat images	Bars 1-16	1993, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2015	USGS

Bar number	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Calculated vegetated areas through Landsat-8 OLI (km²)	2.23	2.55	1.68	6.19	7.15	7.87	8.98	8.62
Calculated vegetated areas through 2D terrain (km²)	2.15	2.31	1.81	5.88	6.96	7.93	9.05	8.51
Bar number	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
Calculated vegetated areas through Landsat-8 OLI (km²)	8.45	10.55	10.17	9.89	16.83	19.95	17.41	80.13
Calculated vegetated areas through 2D terrain (km²)	8.22	10.63	10.22	9.71	16.66	20.01	17.55	79.95