Abstract
The water level in the Yangtze River has significantly changed due to the effects of varied precipitation and dam operations, which have exerted significant effects on irrigation, navigation, and ecosystems. Based on the measured data and the proposed calculation method, we analyzed the adjustment mechanisms of the seasonal water level in the whole Yangtze River. The results were as follows. During the dry season, the rising precipitation and dam operation both increased the water level in the upper reaches and in the reaches from the Jianli to Datong stations during 1981–2014. Moreover, dam operations were the dominant factor (except at Datong station). In the reaches from the Yichang to Shashi stations, dam operations are the reason for the reduction of the measured water level in the dry season, while the rising precipitation had an opposite influence. During the flood season, dam operations helped to reduce the water level from the upper reaches to the estuary during 1981–2014, while climate variation stresses adversely affected the entire river basin. In the reaches between the Luoshan and Jianli stations, climate variation is the dominant factor for the increased water level during the flood season, while dam operation is the reason for the reduced water level at the other six hydrological stations.
Highlights
Water level fluctuations play a significant role in the persistence and structure of ecosystems [1,2], navigation, and irrigation conditions—even people’s security [3,4]
We found that the average water level in the dry season at the Yichang and Shashi stations decreased significantly, with a confidence level higher than 99%, while the values at the other six hydrological stations showed an obvious increasing trend
With intensified human activities and climate variation, the water level has significantly changed from the upper reaches to the estuary
Summary
Water level fluctuations play a significant role in the persistence and structure of ecosystems [1,2], navigation, and irrigation conditions—even people’s security [3,4]. Through changes in precipitation, exerts significant effects on water levels by affecting the streamflow in rivers [5]. It has been suggested that the increasing precipitation caused a rise in the total global runoff during 1901–2002, leading to an increase in the water level [6]. Human activities produced huge variations in the water level. As the largest scale human activities in global rivers, more than. 50,000 large dams (higher than 15 m) in the world have been constructed, with a cumulative storage capacity around 7000 to 8300 km3 [7], which has caused riverbed scouring and reduced water levels.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
