Research on Sediment Problem in Dam Area of Three Gorges Project

Abstract

The Three Gorges Project is the biggest hydraulic engineering and it brings great comprehensive benefits such as flood control, power generation, navigation, and water supply. According to the sedimentation prototype observation on the early stage of the Three Gorges Project operation, the sedimentation pattern of dam area and the upper part of power plant, as well as the channel sedimentation are analyzed after the systematic arrangement of the prototype observation, at the same time, the formation mechanism and development of siltation are studied based on river dynamics theory. The analysis shows that: the early siltation does not have important influence on the operation of the Three Gorges Project, the sedimentation of dam area occurs mainly in the wide section while little siltation in the narrow section and the siltation intensity is greater while the location is close to the dam from the view of the siltation distribution.