Evolution of the Chenglingji–Datong Channel in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River and Its Drivers
In recent years, the water–sand composition of the Yangtze River channel has changed due to the influence of human factors, especially the construction of water reservoirs such as the Three Gorges Project. Changing water–sand conditions have a long-term impact on the shaping of the river channel mor...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/8/1484 |
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| author | Xiaoai Dai Wenyu Li Shijin Chen Jianwen Zeng Chenbo Tong Jiayun Zhou Tianyu Xiang Junjun Zhang Cheng Li Yakang Ye Li Xu Xiaoli Jiang |
| author_facet | Xiaoai Dai Wenyu Li Shijin Chen Jianwen Zeng Chenbo Tong Jiayun Zhou Tianyu Xiang Junjun Zhang Cheng Li Yakang Ye Li Xu Xiaoli Jiang |
| author_sort | Xiaoai Dai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, the water–sand composition of the Yangtze River channel has changed due to the influence of human factors, especially the construction of water reservoirs such as the Three Gorges Project. Changing water–sand conditions have a long-term impact on the shaping of the river channel morphology in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and the erosion retreat of local river sections has caused great harm to embankment projects. This paper focuses on the river evolution mechanism of the river channel from Chenglingji to Datong in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River over the past 31 years. Landsat remote sensing images from 1989–2019 were used to extract and interpret water bodies, river shorelines, and central bars in the study area using the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) combined with visual interpretation. We used near analysis to study the morphological evolution characteristics of the river, the channel, and selected typical river reaches for comparative analysis. We found out that the overall change in river morphology between 1989 and 2019 was small in the horizontal direction, but the local area changed significantly. Considerable scouring occurred in the vertical direction. Combining hydrological and meteorological data, we investigated the effects of the Three Gorges Dam, instream sand mining, boundary conditions, vegetation cover on both sides of the riverbanks, and aspects of storm flooding in the watershed on the evolution of the river. The study indicated that the geological conditions on both sides of the river, the implementation of the bank protection project, and the improvement of vegetation cover on both sides of the river have made the riverbanks more resistant to scouring. However, heavy rainfall floods, the operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir, and sand mining activities in the river channel make the river channel more susceptible to scouring. Based on the calculation of the slope change rate of the accumulated volume, it was found that the runoff is mainly influenced by precipitations, while the sand transport is mainly affected by human activities. This study shows that natural and anthropogenic activities affect the equilibrium state of the river’s water and sediment to varying degree. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:26:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6f7997ae12284ab0a053f6136ae559aa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:26:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-6f7997ae12284ab0a053f6136ae559aa2023-11-17T21:47:50ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412023-04-01158148410.3390/w15081484Evolution of the Chenglingji–Datong Channel in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River and Its DriversXiaoai Dai0Wenyu Li1Shijin Chen2Jianwen Zeng3Chenbo Tong4Jiayun Zhou5Tianyu Xiang6Junjun Zhang7Cheng Li8Yakang Ye9Li Xu10Xiaoli Jiang11College of Earth Science, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaCollege of Earth Science, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaCollege of Earth Science, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaCollege of Earth Science, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaCollege of Earth Science, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaInstitute of Multipurpose Utilizationg of Mineral Resources, China Academy of Geological Science, Chengdu 610042, ChinaCollege of Earth Science, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaInstitute of Multipurpose Utilizationg of Mineral Resources, China Academy of Geological Science, Chengdu 610042, ChinaCollege of Earth Science, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaInstitute of Multipurpose Utilizationg of Mineral Resources, China Academy of Geological Science, Chengdu 610042, ChinaInstitute of Multipurpose Utilizationg of Mineral Resources, China Academy of Geological Science, Chengdu 610042, ChinaInstitute of Multipurpose Utilizationg of Mineral Resources, China Academy of Geological Science, Chengdu 610042, ChinaIn recent years, the water–sand composition of the Yangtze River channel has changed due to the influence of human factors, especially the construction of water reservoirs such as the Three Gorges Project. Changing water–sand conditions have a long-term impact on the shaping of the river channel morphology in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and the erosion retreat of local river sections has caused great harm to embankment projects. This paper focuses on the river evolution mechanism of the river channel from Chenglingji to Datong in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River over the past 31 years. Landsat remote sensing images from 1989–2019 were used to extract and interpret water bodies, river shorelines, and central bars in the study area using the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) combined with visual interpretation. We used near analysis to study the morphological evolution characteristics of the river, the channel, and selected typical river reaches for comparative analysis. We found out that the overall change in river morphology between 1989 and 2019 was small in the horizontal direction, but the local area changed significantly. Considerable scouring occurred in the vertical direction. Combining hydrological and meteorological data, we investigated the effects of the Three Gorges Dam, instream sand mining, boundary conditions, vegetation cover on both sides of the riverbanks, and aspects of storm flooding in the watershed on the evolution of the river. The study indicated that the geological conditions on both sides of the river, the implementation of the bank protection project, and the improvement of vegetation cover on both sides of the river have made the riverbanks more resistant to scouring. However, heavy rainfall floods, the operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir, and sand mining activities in the river channel make the river channel more susceptible to scouring. Based on the calculation of the slope change rate of the accumulated volume, it was found that the runoff is mainly influenced by precipitations, while the sand transport is mainly affected by human activities. This study shows that natural and anthropogenic activities affect the equilibrium state of the river’s water and sediment to varying degree.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/8/1484river course evolutionYangtze Riverremote sensingwater–sediment characteristics |
| spellingShingle | Xiaoai Dai Wenyu Li Shijin Chen Jianwen Zeng Chenbo Tong Jiayun Zhou Tianyu Xiang Junjun Zhang Cheng Li Yakang Ye Li Xu Xiaoli Jiang Evolution of the Chenglingji–Datong Channel in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River and Its Drivers Water river course evolution Yangtze River remote sensing water–sediment characteristics |
| title | Evolution of the Chenglingji–Datong Channel in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River and Its Drivers |
| title_full | Evolution of the Chenglingji–Datong Channel in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River and Its Drivers |
| title_fullStr | Evolution of the Chenglingji–Datong Channel in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River and Its Drivers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolution of the Chenglingji–Datong Channel in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River and Its Drivers |
| title_short | Evolution of the Chenglingji–Datong Channel in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River and Its Drivers |
| title_sort | evolution of the chenglingji datong channel in the middle and lower reaches of the yangtze river and its drivers |
| topic | river course evolution Yangtze River remote sensing water–sediment characteristics |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/15/8/1484 |
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