Significant channel adjustments have occurred in the Jingjiang Reach of the Middle Yangtze River, because of the operation of the Three Gorges Project (TGP). The Jingjiang Reach is selected as the study area, covering the Upper Jingjiang Reach (UJR) and Lower Jingjiang Reach (LJR). The reach-scale bankfull channel dimensions in the study reach were calculated annually from 2002 to 2013 by means of a reach-averaged approach and surveyed post-flood profiles at 171 sections. We find from the calculated results that: the reach-scale bankfull widths changed slightly in the UJR and LJR, with the corresponding depths increasing by 1.6 m and 1.0 m; the channel adjustments occurred mainly with respect to bankfull depth because of the construction of large-scale bank revetment works, although there were significant bank erosion processes in local regions without the bank protection engineering. The reach-scale bankfull dimensions in the UJR and LJR generally responded to the previous five-year average fluvial erosion intensity during flood seasons, with higher correlations being obtained for the depth and cross-sectional area. It is concluded that these dynamic adjustments of the channel geometry are a direct result of recent human activities such as the TGP operation.

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Erosion of cohesive sediment by flow is a very complicated phenomenon occurring worldwide. Understanding and modeling of the erosion process are important for many issues such as the breaching of embankments, riverbank stability, siltation of harbors and navigation channels, service life of reservoirs, distribution of (heavy metal) pollutants and water quality problems. In the last few decades, numerous studies have been done on the erosion of cohesive sediment by flow. Nevertheless, the factors affecting the erosion resistance of cohesive sediment are still not fully understood and the knowledge of the physics of cohesive sediment erosion is inadequate, as a result the mathematical modeling of this erosion is far from satisfactory. In this paper an overview of the studies on the erosion resistance, erosion threshold and the erosion rate of cohesive sediment by flow is presented. The outcomes achieved so far from the studies and the existing problems have been analyzed and summarized, based on which recommendations are proposed for future research.

Upstream damming often causes significant downstream geomorphic adjustments. Remarkable channel changes have occurred in the Jingjiang Reach of the Middle Yangtze River, since the onset of the Three Gorges Project (TGP). Therefore, it is important to investigate the variations in different fluvial variables, for better understanding of the channel evolution characteristics as an example of the Jingjiang Reach. Recent geomorphic adjustments in the study reach have been investigated quantitatively, including variations in sediment rating curve, fluvial erosion intensity, channel deformation volume and bankfull channel geometry. These fluvial variables adjusted in varying degrees in response to the altered flow and sediment regime caused by the TGP operation. A focus of this study has been especially on variation in the bankfull channel geometry. Calculated bankfull dimensions at section‐ and reach‐scale indicate that: (i) there were significant bank‐erosion processes in local regions without bank‐protection engineering, with empirical relations being developed to reproduce the variation in bankfull widths at four typical sections; (ii) the variation in the reach‐scale channel geometry occurred mainly in the component of bankfull depth, owing to the construction of large‐scale bank‐revetment works, with the depth increasing from 13.7 m in 2002 to 15.0 m in 2014, and with an increase in the corresponding bankfull area of about 11%; and (iii) the reach‐scale bankfull channel dimensions responded to the previous 5‐year average fluvial erosion intensity during flood seasons at Zhicheng, with higher correlations for the depth and area being obtained when calibrated by the measurements in 2002–2012. Furthermore, these relations developed for the section‐ and reach‐scale bankfull channel geometry were also verified by the observed data in 2013–2014, with encouraging results being obtained. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.