The Impact of the Three Gorges Reservoir Operations on Hydraulic Characteristics in the Backwater Region: A Comprehensive 2D Modeling Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods
2.1. Study Area and Data Collection
2.2. Model Development
2.2.1. Model Grid Generalization
2.2.2. Assessment of Model Performance
2.2.3. Reservoir Operation Scenarios
2.3. Defining Sensitivity Zones in Channel Reservoirs
3. Results
3.1. Correlation Analysis of Water Level Daily Fluctuations in Different Scenarios
3.2. Surface Water Temperature Variability under Different Scenarios
- (a)
- Flood Season Analysis:
- (b)
- Drawdown Period Analysis:
- (c)
- Impoundment Period Analysis:
3.3. Variation of Vertical Water Temperature in Different Scenarios
4. Discussion
4.1. Modeling Backwater Fluctuations: Implications, Challenges and Perspectives
4.2. Role of Reservoir Operations on Tributaries in Different Sensibility Zones
5. Conclusions
- (1)
- During different operational periods of the reservoir, the range of areas affected by changing water levels varies. The sensitive zone is largest during the drawdown period (468 km river channel), making it more feasible to achieve ecological benefits through operational regulation. Conversely, during the impoundment period, the sensitive zone is the smallest (76 km river channel), posing challenges for enhancing ecological and environmental benefits through operational regulations. During the flood season, the sensitive zone is moderate in size (168 km river channel), but ecological and environmental benefits need to be considered with priority of ensuring flood control objectives.
- (2)
- The fluctuation in reservoir water levels alters the propagation speed of surface temperature waves in the river direction by increasing or decreasing the water volume. The propagation of surface water temperature waves from upstream to downstream could be delayed over a range of approximately 120 km in the flood season and could be delayed by about 36 km in the impoundment period. However, the spatial difference in the phase of temperature waves did not exceed 10 km during the drawdown period.
- (3)
- The study of surface and vertical water temperature variabilities revealed different patterns across the flood season, drawdown, and impoundment periods. In most cases, the vertical water temperature in the TGR was well-mixed, but occasionally, short-term stratification occurred due to the flow velocity among the surface, middle, and bottom layers.
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Branch ID | Upstream /HydroStation | Downstream /HydroStation | Number of Segments | Branch Length (km) | Tributary | MetStation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BR_1 | Cuntan | Changshou | 39 | 78 | — | Changshou |
BR_2 | Changshou | Wanxian | 124 | 248 | WJ & LH | Fengdu |
BR_3 | Wanxian | Yunyang | 19 | 38 | XJ | Wanzhou |
BR_4 | Yunyang | Fengjie | 37 | 74 | MDX | Fengjie |
BR_5 | Fengjie | Wushan | 24 | 48 | DNH | Fengjie |
BR_6 | Wushan | Badong | 22 | 44 | — | Badong |
BR_7 | Badong | TGD | 37 | 76 | XXR | Badong |
Scenario Number | IWL (m) | DF1 (m/Day) | DLDF1 (Day) | DWLU (Day) | DF2 (m/Day) | DLDF2 (Day) | DSP (Day) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S00 | 145 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
S01 | 145 | 1 | 10 | 5 | −1 | 0 | 15 |
S02 | 145 | 1 | 7 | 7 | −1 | 1 | 15 |
S03 | 145 | 1 | 4 | 4 | −1 | 4 | 15 |
S04 | 145 | 1 | 1 | 1 | −1 | 1 | 15 |
S10 | 165 | 0.2 | 4 | 0 | −0.6 | 11 | 15 |
S11 | 165 | −0.6 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
S12 | 165 | −0.6 | 11 | 0 | 0.2 | 4 | 15 |
S13 | 165 | −0.6 | 4 | 0 | 0.1 | 11 | 15 |
S14 | 165 | −0.3 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
S20 | 150 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
S21 | 150 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
S22 | 150 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
S23 | 150 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 15 |
S24 | 150 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0.5 | 12 | 15 |
Site Name | Flood Season | Drawdown Period | Impoundment Period |
---|---|---|---|
Cuntan | 0.1895 | 0.6439 | 0.3967 |
Changshou | 0.3482 | 0.8334 | 0.2894 |
Qingxichang | 0.7086 | 0.8984 | 0.3730 |
Zhongxian | 0.8179 | 0.9444 | 0.5771 |
Wanxian | 0.8686 | 0.9747 | 0.6663 |
Yunyang | 0.8918 | 0.9785 | 0.6927 |
Fengjie | 0.9381 | 0.9894 | 0.7397 |
Wushan | 0.9682 | 0.9947 | 0.7583 |
Badong | 0.9964 | 0.9987 | 0.9099 |
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Xu, Y.; Yu, S.; Liu, D.; Ma, J.; Chuo, M. The Impact of the Three Gorges Reservoir Operations on Hydraulic Characteristics in the Backwater Region: A Comprehensive 2D Modeling Study. Water 2024, 16, 2045. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16142045
Xu Y, Yu S, Liu D, Ma J, Chuo M. The Impact of the Three Gorges Reservoir Operations on Hydraulic Characteristics in the Backwater Region: A Comprehensive 2D Modeling Study. Water. 2024; 16(14):2045. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16142045
Chicago/Turabian StyleXu, Yaqian, Shengde Yu, Defu Liu, Jun Ma, and Mingying Chuo. 2024. "The Impact of the Three Gorges Reservoir Operations on Hydraulic Characteristics in the Backwater Region: A Comprehensive 2D Modeling Study" Water 16, no. 14: 2045. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16142045