Abstract
The impoundment of the Three-Gorges-Dam (TGD) significantly alters the flow regimes in Poyang and Dongting Lakes, the two largest freshwater lakes in China by reducing river discharge. This work aims to investigate the impoundment effects of the TGD on lake outflow and water level and clarify dynamic mechanism for the hydrological responses of both lakes to the TGD impoundment based on the typical case study. A hydrodynamic model is set up to simultaneously simulate hydrodynamics in the two lakes and the middle Yangtze River. Results show that TGD induces profound changes of the flow regimes in both lakes. The effects dynamically change with the TGD-induced Yangtze River discharge alteration, and are highly heterogeneous in space due to the complicated interactions between the lakes and the Yangtze River. The impoundment of the TGD accelerates Poyang Lake drainage. But that is not all for Dongting Lake, the TGD impoundment also reduces its water supply from the Yangtze River. The results from this work improve the understanding of the TGD impacts on the downstream river-lake system and provide scientific evidences for formulating better scheme for water resources management in this region.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cao L, Fox AD (2009) Birds and people both depend on China’s wetlands. Nature 460:173–173. doi:10.1038/460173b
Chang J, Li J, Lu D et al (2010) The hydrological effect between Jingjiang River and Dongting Lake during the initial period of Three Gorges Project operation. J Geogr Sci 20:771–786. doi:10.1007/s11442-010-0810-9
Cunge JA, Holly FM, Verwey A (1980) Practical Aspects of Computational River Hydraulics. Pitman Advanced Publishing Program, London
Dou H, Jiang J (2000) Dongting lake. Press of University of Science and Technology of. China, Hefei
Fang H, Han D, He G, Chen M (2012) Flood management selections for the Yangtze River midstream after the Three Gorges Project operation. J Hydrol 432–433:1–11. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.01.042
Graf WL (2006) Downstream hydrologic and geomorphic effects of large dams on American rivers. Geomorphology 79:336–360. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.06.022
Guo H, Hu Q, Zhang Q, Feng S (2012) Effects of the Three Gorges Dam on Yangtze River flow and river interaction with Poyang Lake, China: 2003–2008. J Hydrol 416–417:19–27. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2011.11.027
Hayashi S, Murakami S, Xu K-Q, Watanabe M (2008) Effect of the Three Gorges Dam Project on flood control in the Dongting Lake area, China, in a 1998-type flood. J Hydro-Environ Res 2:148–163. doi:10.1016/j.jher.2008.10.002
Hu Q, Feng S, Guo H et al (2007) Interactions of the Yangtze river flow and hydrologic processes of the Poyang Lake, China. J Hydrol 347:90–100. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2007.09.005
Jiao N, Zhang Y, Zeng Y et al (2007) Ecological anomalies in the East China Sea: Impacts of the Three Gorges Dam? Water Res 41:1287–1293. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2006.11.053
Lai X, Jiang J, Huang Q (2013a) Effects of the normal operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir on wetland inundation in Dongting Lake, China: a modelling study. Hydrol Sci J 58:1467–1477. doi:10.1080/02626667.2013.831418
Lai X, Jiang J, Liang Q, Huang Q (2013b) Large-scale hydrodynamic modeling of the middle Yangtze River Basin with complex river–lake interactions. J Hydrol 492:228–243. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2013.03.049
Li Y, Sun Z, Liu Y, Deng J (2009) Channel Degradation Downstream from the Three Gorges Project and Its Impacts on Flood Level. J Hydraul Eng 135:718
Liu L, Liu D, Johnson DM et al (2012) Effects of vertical mixing on phytoplankton blooms in Xiangxi Bay of Three Gorges Reservoir: Implications for management. Water Res 46:2121–2130. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2012.01.029
Liu Y, Wu G, Zhao X (2013) Recent declines in China’s largest freshwater lake: trend or regime shift? Environ Res Lett 8:014010. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/014010
Milliman JD (1997) Blessed dams or damned dams? Nature 386:325–327
Moyle PB, Mount JF (2007) Homogenous rivers, homogenous faunas. Proc Natl Acad Sci 104:5711–5712. doi:10.1073/pnas.0701457104
Nilsson C, Reidy CA, Dynesius M, Revenga C (2005) Fragmentation and Flow Regulation of the World’s Large River Systems. Science 308:405–408. doi:10.1126/science.1107887
Olson DM, Dinerstein E (2002) The Global 200: Priority ecoregions for global conservation. Ann Mo Bot Gard 89:199–224
Petts GE, Gurnell AM (2005) Dams and geomorphology: Research progress and future directions. Geomorphology 71:27–47. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.02.015
Poff NL, Olden JD, Merritt DM, Pepin DM (2007) Homogenization of regional river dynamics by dams and global biodiversity implications. Proc Natl Acad Sci 104:5732–5737. doi:10.1073/pnas.0609812104
Räsänen TA, Koponen J, Lauri H, Kummu M (2012) Downstream Hydrological Impacts of Hydropower Development in the Upper Mekong Basin. Water Resour Manag 26:3495–3513. doi:10.1007/s11269-012-0087-0
Shah Z, Kumar MD (2008) In the Midst of the Large Dam Controversy: Objectives, Criteria for Assessing Large Water Storages in the Developing World. Water Resour Manag 22:1799–1824. doi:10.1007/s11269-008-9254-8
Shankman D, Liang Q (2003) Landscape Changes and Increasing Flood Frequency in China’s Poyang Lake Region. Prof Geogr 55:434–445. doi:10.1111/0033-0124.5504003
Sun Z, Huang Q, Opp C et al (2012) Impacts and Implications of Major Changes Caused by the Three Gorges Dam in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, China. Water Resour Manag 26:3367–3378. doi:10.1007/s11269-012-0076-3
Toro EF (2009) Riemann solvers and numerical methods for fluid dynamics: a practical introduction. Springer, Berlin
Xu K, Milliman JD (2009) Seasonal variations of sediment discharge from the Yangtze River before and after impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam. Geomorphology 104:276–283. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.09.004
Yan X-H, Jo Y-H, Jiang L et al (2008) Impact of the Three Gorges Dam water storage on the Yangtze River outflow into the East China Sea. Geophys Res Lett 35, L05610. doi:10.1029/2007GL032908
Yang Z, Wang H, Saito Y et al (2006) Dam impacts on the Changjiang (Yangtze) River sediment discharge to the sea: The past 55 years and after the Three Gorges Dam. Water Resour Res 42, W04407. doi:10.1029/2005WR003970
Yang G, Wen L, Li L (2007a) Yangtze Conservation and Development Report 2007. Science Press, Beijing
Yang SL, Zhang J, Xu XJ (2007b) Influence of the Three Gorges Dam on downstream delivery of sediment and its environmental implications, Yangtze River. Geophys Res Lett 34, L10401. doi:10.1029/2007GL029472
Yi Y, Wang Z, Yang Z (2010) Impact of the Gezhouba and Three Gorges Dams on habitat suitability of carps in the Yangtze River. J Hydrol 387:283–291. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2010.04.018
Yin H, Liu G, Pi J et al (2007) On the river–lake relationship of the middle Yangtze reaches. Geomorphology 85:197–207. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.03.017
Zhang G, Wu L, Li H et al (2012a) Preliminary evidence of delayed spawning and suppressed larval growth and condition of the major carps in the Yangtze River below the Three Gorges Dam. Environ Biol Fishes 93:439–447. doi:10.1007/s10641-011-9934-8
Zhang Q, Li L, Wang Y-G et al (2012b) Has the Three-Gorges Dam made the Poyang Lake wetlands wetter and drier? Geophys Res Lett 39, L20402
Zhao P, Tang X, Tang J, Wang C (2013) Assessing Water Quality of Three Gorges Reservoir, China, Over a Five-Year Period From 2006 to 2011. Water Resour Manag 27:4545–4558. doi:10.1007/s11269-013-0425-x
Zhu H, Zhang B (1997) Poyang Lake. Press of University of Science and Technology of. China, Hefei
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (2012CB417000) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41071021).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lai, X., Liang, Q., Jiang, J. et al. Impoundment Effects of the Three-Gorges-Dam on Flow Regimes in Two China’s Largest Freshwater Lakes. Water Resour Manage 28, 5111–5124 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-014-0797-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-014-0797-6