Environmental Monitoring and Assessment

, Volume 186, Issue 10, pp 6833–6847 | Cite as

Nutrient spatial pattern of the upstream, mainstream and tributaries of the Three Gorges Reservoir in China

  • YuLing Huang
  • Ping Zhang
  • DeFu Liu
  • ZhengJian Yang
  • DaoBin Ji
Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

A comprehensive monitoring program was conducted to investigate the nutrient spatial pattern in the mainstream of the Yangtze River from the Baihetan Dam down to the Three Gorges Dam located at the upper region of the Yangtze River in China. Samples were taken from 33 different sites from July 30 to August 19, 2011. The nutrient patterns of the three representative tributaries of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR)—the Modao, the Daning, and the Xiangxi Rivers—were also investigated. The results show that the mainstream of the TGR has a higher concentration of nitrogen and a lower concentration of phosphorus than that of the upper mainstream before the TGR. Moreover, it was found that nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) is the main nitrogen component, while particulate phosphorus predominates the total phosphorus (TP). It was found that the three representative tributaries of the TGR have lower total nitrogen (TN) concentrations compared to the corresponding sections of the mainstream TGR. Based on the nutrient spatial pattern, the nutrient flux was calculated. The total fluxes of TN, NO3-N, TP, and orthophosphate (PO4-P) from the upstream reach into the TGR are 2,155.06, 1,674.97, 212.98, and 83.42 t day−1, respectively. The amount of nutrients imported from the TGR into its tributaries is more than the amount exported. It was determined that the Xiangxi River has the largest net rate of imported nitrogen at 7.66 t day−1, whereas the Daning River has the largest net rate of imported phosphorus at 1.75 t day−1. In addition, compared with the nutrients imported from the TGR into its tributaries, the nutrient flux from the upstream reach into the TGR contributes approximately less than 3 %.

Keywords

Nutrient Three Gorges Reservoir Spatial pattern Upstream Mainstream Tributary 

Abbreviations

TGD

Three Gorges Dam

TGR

Three Gorges Reservoir

WDD

Wudongde

BHT

Baihetan

LB

Leibo

XLD

Xiluodu

GM

Gumi

SJ

Suijiang

XJB

Xiangjiaba

YB

Yibin

NX

Nanxi

LZ

Luzhou

JJ

Jiangjin

JLJ

Jialingjiang

CQ

Chongqing

CT

Cuntan

CS

Changshou

FL

Fuling

WJ

Wujiang

FD

Fengdu

ZX

Zhongxian

SB

Shibaozai

WZ

Wanzhou

XJ

Xiaojiang

TX

Tangxi

MD

Maodao

FJ

Fengjie

MX

Meixi

CTH

Caotanghe

WS

Wushan

DN

Daning

SN

Shennong

BD

Badong

PZ

Puzhuang

XX

Xiangxi

MP

Maoping

JSJ

Jinshajiang River

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Notes

Acknowledgments

This paper was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51009080, 51179095, and 51209123) and the Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment (No. 2012ZX07104-001). A special thank to the members of Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in TGR Region, Ministry of Education, CTGU for participating in the field monitoring. We also would like to thank the reviewers for their constructive comments.

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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • YuLing Huang
    • 1
  • Ping Zhang
    • 2
  • DeFu Liu
    • 3
    • 4
  • ZhengJian Yang
    • 3
  • DaoBin Ji
    • 4
  1. 1.Department of Water EnvironmentChina Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower ResearchBeijingChina
  2. 2.Yichang Survey Bureau of Hydrology and Water ResourcesYichangChina
  3. 3.College of Resources and Environment SciencesHubei University of TechnologyWuhanChina
  4. 4.College of Hydraulic and Environmental EngineeringChina Three Gorges UniversityYichangChina

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