Numerical Study of the Three Gorges Dam Influences on Chlorophyll-a in the Changjiang Estuary and the Adjacent East China Sea

Abstract

The impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) has altered downstream hydrological characteristics and sediment discharge, and it has caused ecological impacts, such as changes in chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in estuaries and coastal oceans. To investigate the TGD’s influence on Chl-a’s interannual and seasonal variations in the Changjiang Estuary and the adjacent coastal East China Sea, a physical-biogeochemical model was developed with numerical experiments covering a decade, including TGD’s pre-period (pre-TGD, 1999–2003) and post-period (post-TGD, 2004–2008). The modeling results demonstrate an annual increase in the regional average Chl-a from pre- to post-TGD, with the largest increase reaching up to 20.8% in spring in the nearshore region beyond the Changjiang mouth. The spatial variations in Chl-a are high, with the largest variation being observed around the 20–40 m isobaths. The increase in Chl-a is influenced by improved light and nutrient conditions, which is attributed to dam construction and fertilization by human activities. A decline in nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer usage ratio along the Changjiang River watershed after the TGD’s impoundment is another factor that influences the Chl-a’s variation. The modeling results also show severe NO3 and PO4 imbalances with a larger N/P ratio during the post-TGD period, especially in regions with large Chl-a increases. Moreover, the greater increase in the usage of phosphorus fertilizer than nitrogen fertilizer influences Chl-a’s variation and has potential promotion effects on the outbreak of harmful algal bloom events.