Variation of the Water Level in the Yangtze River in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Changes

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.

Reservoir Drawdown Highlights the Emergent Effects of Water Level Change on Reservoir Physics, Chemistry, and Biology

“…Water levels in many lakes and reservoirs are changing due to altered climate and water management practices (Kraemer et al., 2020; Wada et al., 2014; Ye et al., 2017). While global climate change is driving a general trend of decreasing water levels in lakes and reservoirs (Fergus et al., 2022; Yao et al., 2023), local human activities also cause water level changes over multiple timescales (e.g., Furey et al., 2004; Hannoun & Tietjen, 2023; Liu et al., 2019; Rimmer et al., 2011). In particular, many human‐made reservoirs experience large water level fluctuations on daily to annual timescales due to management for flood control, hydropower, fish passage, irrigation, and drinking water provision (Fergus et al., 2022; Hamilton et al., 2022; Jiang et al., 2018; Keller et al., 2021; Wada et al., 2014).…”

Reservoir drawdown highlights the emergent effects of water level change on reservoir physics, chemistry, and biology

“…Water levels in many lakes and reservoirs are changing due to altered climate and water management practices (Kraemer et al, 2020;Wada et al, 2014;Ye et al, 2017). While global climate change is driving a general trend of decreasing water levels in lakes and reservoirs (Fergus et al, 2022;Yao et al, 2023), local human activities also cause water level changes over multiple timescales (e.g., Furey et al, 2004;Hannoun & Tietjen, 2023;Liu et al, 2019;Rimmer et al, 2011). In particular, many human-made reservoirs experience large water level manuscript submitted to JGR Biogeosciences 3 fluctuations on daily to annual timescales due to management for flood control, hydropower, fish passage, irrigation, and drinking water provision (Fergus et al, 2022;Jiang et al, 2018;Keller et al, 2021;Wada et al, 2014;Hamilton et al 2022).…”

Spatiotemporal Evaluation of Water Resources in Citarum Watershed during Weak La Nina and Weak El Nino

“…The water level has become a crucial proxy parameter for monitoring anthropogenic and climate change effects on water resources in an area. For instance, the monitoring of the changes of the water level in the Yangtze River has shown that there has been a meaningful change due to the effects of various rainfall and dam operations, which have significantly affected irrigation, navigation, and the ecosystem, while also providing information related to water management and the effects of climate change by revealing the average water level trend [16]. Further, water level monitoring over the past 52 years has revealed that rainfall is the dominant factor that causes seasonal variations in water level, while the arrangement of the floodgates and dams has been the primary driver of hydrological regime change in the last 20 years.…”