Flood management of Dongting Lake after operation of Three Gorges Dam

Full operation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) reduces flood risk of the middle and lower parts of the Yangtze River Basin. However, Dongting Lake, which is located in the Yangtze River Basin, is still at high risk for potentially severe flooding in the future. The effects of the TGD on flood processe...

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Main Authors: Xi-jun Lai, Zi-ming Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2017-10-01
Series:Water Science and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674237017301047
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author Xi-jun Lai
Zi-ming Wang
author_facet Xi-jun Lai
Zi-ming Wang
author_sort Xi-jun Lai
collection DOAJ
description Full operation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) reduces flood risk of the middle and lower parts of the Yangtze River Basin. However, Dongting Lake, which is located in the Yangtze River Basin, is still at high risk for potentially severe flooding in the future. The effects of the TGD on flood processes were investigated using a hydrodynamic model. The 1998 and 2010 flood events before and after the operation of the TGD, respectively, were analyzed. The numerical results show that the operation of the TGD changes flood processes, including the timing and magnitude of flood peaks in Dongting Lake. The TGD can effectively reduce the flood level in Dongting Lake, which is mainly caused by the flood water from the upper reach of the Yangtze River. This is not the case, however, for floods mainly induced by flood water from four main rivers in the catchment. In view of this, a comprehensive strategy for flood management in Dongting Lake is required. Non-engineering measures, such as warning systems and combined operation of the TGD and other reservoirs in the catchment, as well as traditional engineering measures, should be further improved. Meanwhile, a sustainable philosophy for flood control, including natural flood management and lake restoration, is recommended to reduce the flood risk.
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spelling doaj.art-d05170b1dc134b7b88c4cf6404fc96412022-12-22T01:34:29ZengElsevierWater Science and Engineering1674-23702017-10-0110430331010.1016/j.wse.2017.12.005Flood management of Dongting Lake after operation of Three Gorges DamXi-jun Lai0Zi-ming Wang1Key Laboratory of Watershed Geographic Sciences, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Nanjing 210008, ChinaZhejiang Institute of Hydraulics and Estuary, Hangzhou 310020, ChinaFull operation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) reduces flood risk of the middle and lower parts of the Yangtze River Basin. However, Dongting Lake, which is located in the Yangtze River Basin, is still at high risk for potentially severe flooding in the future. The effects of the TGD on flood processes were investigated using a hydrodynamic model. The 1998 and 2010 flood events before and after the operation of the TGD, respectively, were analyzed. The numerical results show that the operation of the TGD changes flood processes, including the timing and magnitude of flood peaks in Dongting Lake. The TGD can effectively reduce the flood level in Dongting Lake, which is mainly caused by the flood water from the upper reach of the Yangtze River. This is not the case, however, for floods mainly induced by flood water from four main rivers in the catchment. In view of this, a comprehensive strategy for flood management in Dongting Lake is required. Non-engineering measures, such as warning systems and combined operation of the TGD and other reservoirs in the catchment, as well as traditional engineering measures, should be further improved. Meanwhile, a sustainable philosophy for flood control, including natural flood management and lake restoration, is recommended to reduce the flood risk.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674237017301047Three Gorges DamFlood controlWater levelHydrodynamic modelDongting Lake
spellingShingle Xi-jun Lai
Zi-ming Wang
Flood management of Dongting Lake after operation of Three Gorges Dam
Water Science and Engineering
Three Gorges Dam
Flood control
Water level
Hydrodynamic model
Dongting Lake
title Flood management of Dongting Lake after operation of Three Gorges Dam
title_full Flood management of Dongting Lake after operation of Three Gorges Dam
title_fullStr Flood management of Dongting Lake after operation of Three Gorges Dam
title_full_unstemmed Flood management of Dongting Lake after operation of Three Gorges Dam
title_short Flood management of Dongting Lake after operation of Three Gorges Dam
title_sort flood management of dongting lake after operation of three gorges dam
topic Three Gorges Dam
Flood control
Water level
Hydrodynamic model
Dongting Lake
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674237017301047
work_keys_str_mv AT xijunlai floodmanagementofdongtinglakeafteroperationofthreegorgesdam
AT zimingwang floodmanagementofdongtinglakeafteroperationofthreegorgesdam