Estimating Sediment Trap Efficiency of Flood Events During Flood Season in the Three Gorges Reservoir

Abstract Sediment trapping significantly influences the comprehensive benefits of reservoirs and hinders the connection between sediment and nutrients in the upstream and downstream of rivers. Quantifying the role of sediment trapping by dams is important because this operation controls fluvial geom...

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Main Authors: Shi Ren, Yu Gao, Wei‐Jie Wang, Yinjun Zhou, Hanqing Zhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-10-01
Series:Water Resources Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036975
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author Shi Ren
Yu Gao
Wei‐Jie Wang
Yinjun Zhou
Hanqing Zhao
author_facet Shi Ren
Yu Gao
Wei‐Jie Wang
Yinjun Zhou
Hanqing Zhao
author_sort Shi Ren
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Sediment trapping significantly influences the comprehensive benefits of reservoirs and hinders the connection between sediment and nutrients in the upstream and downstream of rivers. Quantifying the role of sediment trapping by dams is important because this operation controls fluvial geomorphology, aquatic ecology, and water quality, particularly for flood processes with highly variable inflows. This study developed a new model to calculate the sediment trap efficiency (TE) of flood events during the flood season in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) using a generalized theoretical approach. The TE of 55 flood events that occurred since the impoundment of the TGR were calculated and ranged from 16.0% to 99.8%, with a mean of 77.8%. Contrary to the previous understanding that large reservoirs have consistently large TE values based on long‐term data, our results show that large reservoirs can have a wide range of TE values during short‐term flood events. The proposed model estimates TE using three variables: inflow discharge, outflow discharge, and reservoir water level. Furthermore, the additional sedimentation risk to the TGR by optimized scheduling during the flood season is discussed. The results provide a reference for sedimentation management and optimal operation in the TGR.
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institution Kabale University
issn 0043-1397
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language English
publishDate 2024-10-01
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series Water Resources Research
spelling doaj-art-eca6a1f924e248128bde9b7d19c44d1e2025-08-20T03:30:57ZengWileyWater Resources Research0043-13971944-79732024-10-016010n/an/a10.1029/2023WR036975Estimating Sediment Trap Efficiency of Flood Events During Flood Season in the Three Gorges ReservoirShi Ren0Yu Gao1Wei‐Jie Wang2Yinjun Zhou3Hanqing Zhao4China Three Gorges Corporation Wuhan P. R. ChinaChina Three Gorges Corporation Wuhan P. R. ChinaState Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research Beijing P. R. ChinaChangjiang River Scientific Research Institute of Changjiang Water Resources Commission Wuhan P. R. ChinaChina Three Gorges Corporation Wuhan P. R. ChinaAbstract Sediment trapping significantly influences the comprehensive benefits of reservoirs and hinders the connection between sediment and nutrients in the upstream and downstream of rivers. Quantifying the role of sediment trapping by dams is important because this operation controls fluvial geomorphology, aquatic ecology, and water quality, particularly for flood processes with highly variable inflows. This study developed a new model to calculate the sediment trap efficiency (TE) of flood events during the flood season in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) using a generalized theoretical approach. The TE of 55 flood events that occurred since the impoundment of the TGR were calculated and ranged from 16.0% to 99.8%, with a mean of 77.8%. Contrary to the previous understanding that large reservoirs have consistently large TE values based on long‐term data, our results show that large reservoirs can have a wide range of TE values during short‐term flood events. The proposed model estimates TE using three variables: inflow discharge, outflow discharge, and reservoir water level. Furthermore, the additional sedimentation risk to the TGR by optimized scheduling during the flood season is discussed. The results provide a reference for sedimentation management and optimal operation in the TGR.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036975Three Gorges Reservoirflood eventssediment trap efficiencysediment discharge ratiosedimentation risk
spellingShingle Shi Ren
Yu Gao
Wei‐Jie Wang
Yinjun Zhou
Hanqing Zhao
Estimating Sediment Trap Efficiency of Flood Events During Flood Season in the Three Gorges Reservoir
Water Resources Research
Three Gorges Reservoir
flood events
sediment trap efficiency
sediment discharge ratio
sedimentation risk
title Estimating Sediment Trap Efficiency of Flood Events During Flood Season in the Three Gorges Reservoir
title_full Estimating Sediment Trap Efficiency of Flood Events During Flood Season in the Three Gorges Reservoir
title_fullStr Estimating Sediment Trap Efficiency of Flood Events During Flood Season in the Three Gorges Reservoir
title_full_unstemmed Estimating Sediment Trap Efficiency of Flood Events During Flood Season in the Three Gorges Reservoir
title_short Estimating Sediment Trap Efficiency of Flood Events During Flood Season in the Three Gorges Reservoir
title_sort estimating sediment trap efficiency of flood events during flood season in the three gorges reservoir
topic Three Gorges Reservoir
flood events
sediment trap efficiency
sediment discharge ratio
sedimentation risk
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036975
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AT yinjunzhou estimatingsedimenttrapefficiencyoffloodeventsduringfloodseasoninthethreegorgesreservoir
AT hanqingzhao estimatingsedimenttrapefficiencyoffloodeventsduringfloodseasoninthethreegorgesreservoir