Erosion-deposition patterns and depo-center movements in branching channels at the near-estuary reach of the Yangtze River

Abstract

Channel evolution and depo-center migrations in braided reaches are significantly influenced by variations in runoff. This study examines the effect of runoff variations on the erosion-deposition patterns and depo-center movements within branching channels of the near-estuary reach of the Yangtze River. We assume that variations in annual mean duration days of runoff discharges, ebb partition ratios in branching channels, and the erosional/depositional rates of entire channels and sub-reaches are representative of variations in runoff intensity, flow dynamics in branching channels, and morphological features in the channels. Our results show that the north region of Fujiangsha Waterway, the Liuhaisha branch of Rugaosha Waterway, the west branch of Tongzhousha Waterway, and the west branch of Langshansha Waterway experience deposition or reduced erosion under low runoff intensity, and erosion or reduced deposition under high runoff intensity, with the depo-centers moving upstream and downstream, respectively. Other waterway branches undergo opposite trends in erosion-deposition patterns and depo-center movements as the runoff changes. These morphological changes may be associated with trends in ebb partition ratio as the runoff discharge rises and falls. By flattening the intra-annual distribution of runoff discharge, dam construction in the Yangtze Basin has altered the ebb partition ratios in waterway branches, affecting their erosion-deposition patterns and depo-center movements. Present trends are likely to continue into the future due to the succession of large cascade dams under construction along the upper Yangtze and ongoing climate change.

Keywords

near-estuary reach / Yangtze River / runoff discharge / ebb partition ratio / erosion-deposition pattern / depo-center movement

References

[1] Alcayaga H, Palma S, Caamano D, Mao L, Soto-Alvarez M (2019). Detecting and quantifying hydromorphology changes in a Chilean river after 50 years of dam operation. J S Am Earth Sci, 93: 253–266

[2] Cao L J, Zhang Y, Shi Y (2011). Climate change effect on hydrological processes over the Yangtze River basin. Quat Int, 244(2): 202–210

[3] Chai Y, Li Y, Yang Y, Zhu B, Li S, Xu C, Liu C (2019). Influence of climate variability and reservoir operation on streamflow in the Yangtze River. Sci Rep, 9(1): 1–10

[4] Changjiang Water Resources Commission (CWRC) (2016). Changjiang River Sediment Bulletin. Wuhan: Changjiang Press (in Chinese)

[5] Chen J Y, Shen H T, Yun C X (1988). Processes of Dynamics and Geomorphology of the Changjiang Estuary. Shanghai: Shanghai Scientific & Technical Publishers (in Chinese)

[6] Chen Y P, Jiang N L, Zhang C K (2012). Riverbed evolution of upper part of Yangtze Estuary and its response to the hydrodynamic changes at upstream. In: Proceedings of the 33rd International Conference on Coastal Engineering. Reston: ASCE Press, 1–6

[7] Chen Y P, Li J X, Wu Z G, Pan S Q (2016). Dynamic analysis of riverbed evolution: Chengtong Reach of Yangtze Estuary. J Coast Res, 75(sp1): 203–207

[8] Dai W H, Ding W (2019). Hydrodynamic improvement of a goose-head pattern braided reach in lower Yangtze River. J Hydrodynam, 31(3): 614–621

[9] Dou G R (1964). Bed form of plain alluvial river and tidal estuary. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 1964: 1–13 (in Chinese)

[10] Duan W X, Guo S L, Wang J, Liu D D (2016). Impact of cascaded reservoirs group on flow regime in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Water, 8(6): 1–21

[11] Fan Y Y, Li Y T, Yang Y P, Huang L B (2017). Vertical velocity structure distribution in the Sansha area of the Yangtze Estuary, China. J Mar Sci Technol, 22(2): 327–334

[12] Graf W L (2006). Downstream hydrologic and geomorphic effects of large dams on American rivers. Geomorphology, 79(3–4): 336–360

[13] Han J Q, Zhang W, Yuan J, Fan Y Y (2018). Channel evolution under changing hydrological regimes in anabranching reaches downstream of the Three Gorges Dam. Front Earth Sci, 12(3): 640–648

[14] Horrevoets A C, Savenije H H G, Schuurman J N, Graas S (2004). The influence of river discharge on tidal damping in alluvial estuaries. J Hydrol (Amst), 294(4): 213–228

[15] Jain V, Sinha R (2004). Fluvial dynamics of an anabranching river system in Himalayan foreland basin, Baghmati river, north Bihar plains, India. Geomorphology, 60(1–2): 147–170

[16] Jansen J D, Nanson G C (2010). Functional relationships between vegetation, channel morphology, and flow efficiency in an alluvial (anabranching) river. J Geophys Res Earth Surf, 115: F04030

[17] Jiang C J, Li J F, de Swart H E (2012a). Effects of navigational works on morphological changes in the bar area of the Yangtze Estuary. Geomorphology, 139: 205–219

[18] Jiang N L, Chen Y P, Zhang C K (2012b). Channel evolution of Chengtong reach at Yangtze Estuary. In: Proceedings of the 22nd (2012) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference. San Francisco: ISOPE Press:1382–1386

[19] Kaliraj S, Chandrasekar N, Magesh N S (2014). Impacts of wave energy and littoral currents on shoreline erosion/accretion along the south-west coast of Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu using DSAS and geospatial technology. Environ Earth Sci, 71(10): 4523–4542

[20] Kuang C P, Chen W, Gu J, He L L (2014). Comprehensive analysis on the sediment siltation in the upper reach of the deepwater navigation channel in the Yangtze Estuary. J Hydrodynam, 26(2): 299–308

[21] Latrubesse E M (2008). Patterns of anabranching channels: The ultimate end-member adjustment of mega rivers. Geomorphology, 101(1–2): 130–145

[22] Li M T, Chen Z Y, Yin D W, Chen J, Wang Z H, Sun Q L (2011). Morphodynamic characteristics of the dextral diversion of the Yangtze River mouth, China: tidal and the Coriolis Force controls. Earth Surf Process Landf, 36(5): 641–650

[23] Li M T, Ge J Z, Kappenberg J, Much D, Nino O, Chen Z Y (2014). Morphodynamic processes of the Elbe River estuary, Germany: the Coriolis effect, tidal asymmetry and human dredging. Front Earth Sci, 8(2): 181–189

[24] Li Z W, Yu G A, Brierley G, Wang Z Y (2016). Vegetative impacts upon bedload transport capacity and channel stability for differing alluvial planforms in the Yellow River source zone. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci, 20(7): 3013–3025

[25] Liu F, Hu S, Guo X J, Luo X X, Cai H Y, Yang Q S (2018). Recent changes in the sediment regime of the Pearl River (South China): causes and implications for the Pearl River Delta. Hydrol Processes, 32(12): 1771–1785

[26] Luan H L, Ding P X, Wang Z B, Ge J Z, Yang S L (2016). Decadal morphological evolution of the Yangtze Estuary in response to river input changes and estuarine engineering projects. Geomorphology, 265: 12–23

[27] Mendoza A, Soto-Cortes G, Priego-Hernandez G, Rivera-Trejo F (2019). Historical description of the morphology and hydraulic behavior of a bifurcation in the lowlands of the Grijalva River Basin, Mexico. Catena, 176: 343–351

[28] Ni B, He R, Zhang W (2014). Study on dredging scale of Tongzhousha west channel. Journal of Waterway and Harbor, 35(6): 608–612 (in Chinese)

[29] Petts G E, Gurnell A M (2005). Dams and geomorphology: research progress and future directions. Geomorphology, 71(1–2): 27–47

[30] Rangoonwala A, Jones C E, Ramsey E III (2016). Wetland shoreline recession in the Mississippi River Delta from petroleum oiling and cyclonic storms. Geophys Res Lett, 43(22): 11652–11660

[31] Schletterer M, Shaporenko S I, Kuzovlev V V, Minin A E, Van Geest G J, Middelkoop H, Gorski K (2019). The Volga: management issues in the largest river basin in Europe. River Res Appl, 35(5): 510–519

[32] Shen Y M, Deng G F, Xu Z H, Tang J (2019). Effects of sea level rise on storm surge and waves within the Yangtze River Estuary. Front Earth Sci, 13(2): 303–316

[33] Sloff K, Van Spijk A, Stouthamer E, Sieben A (2013). Understanding and managing the morphology of branches incising into sand-clay deposits in the Dutch Rhine Delta. Int J Sediment Res, 28(2): 127–138

[34] Sun J L, Lei X H, Tian Y, Liao W H, Wang Y H (2013). Hydrological impacts of climate change in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River Basin. Quat Int, 304: 62–74

[35] Wang Y H, Dong P, Oguchi T, Chen S L, Shen H T (2013). Long-term (1842–2006) morphological change and equilibrium state of the Changjiang (Yangtze) Estuary, China. Cont Shelf Res, 56: 71–81

[36] Warne A G, Guevara E H, Aslan A (2002). Late Quaternary evolution of the Orinoco Delta, Venezuela. J Coast Res, 18(2): 225–253

[37] Wu Z G, Chen Y P, Zhang C K, Jiang N L (2013). Fluvial dynamic analysis of Rugaosha reach in Changjiang Estuary. Yangtze River, 44(24): 13–16+19 (in Chinese)

[38] Xu Y, Gong H F, Zhang H (2014). Study on branch selection for 12.5 m- deep main channel in Fujiangsha reach downstream the Changjiang River. Port & Waterway Engineering, 2014(5): 1–7 (in Chinese)

[39] Yang S L, Milliman J D, Li P, Xu K (2011). 50000 dams later: erosion of the Yangtze River and its delta. Global Planet Change, 75(1–2): 14–20

[40] Yang S L, Xu K H, Milliman J D, Yang H F, Wu C S (2015). Decline of Yangtze River water and sediment discharge: impact from natural and anthropogenic changes. Sci Rep, 5(1): 1–14

[41] Yang X W, Lin Q (2013). Evolution analysis and maintenance countermeasures of north channel of Fujiang shoal in lower Yangtze River. Journal of Waterway and Harbor, 34(1): 50–54 (in Chinese)

[42] Yang Y P, Li Y T, Han J Q, Wang D (2012). Variation of tide limit and tidal current limit in Yangtze Estuary and its impact on projects. Journal of Sediment Research, 2012(6): 46–51(in Chinese)

[43] Yang Y P, Zhang M J, Fan Y Y, Li Y T, Liu W L (2016). Variation trend and causes of suspended sediment characteristic in Yangtze Estuary. Journal of Basic Science and Engineering, 24(6): 1203–1218 (in Chinese)

[44] Yu W C (2013). Understanding and Practice of the Yangtze River. Beijing: China Water & Power Press (in Chinese)

[45] Yu W C, Lu J Y (2005). Fluvial Process and River Engineering of Yangtze River. Beijing: China Water & Power Press (in Chinese)

[46] Yun C X (2004). Recent Developments of the Changjiang Estuary. Beijing: China Ocean Press (in Chinese)

[47] Zeng X F, Zhao N, Zhou J Z (2013). Study on hydropower energy and its future changes in the upper Yangtze River basin under climate change. Advanced Research on Material, Energy and Control Engineering, 648: 232–236

[48] Zhang W, Xu P (2017). Morphological relationships of runoff tidal estuary on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. China Harbour Engineering, 37(1): 19–23(in Chinese)

[49] Zhang W, Xu Y, Hoitink A J F, Sassi M G, Zheng J H, Chen X W, Zhang C (2015). Morphological change in the Pearl River Delta, China. Mar Geol, 363: 202–219

[50] Zhao J, Guo L C, He Q, Wang Z B, van Maren D S, Wang X Y (2018). An analysis on half century morphological changes in the Changjiang Estuary: spatial variability under natural processes and human intervention. J Mar Syst, 181: 25–36

[51] Zheng S W, Cheng H Q, Shi S Y, Xu W, Zhou Q P, Jiang Y H, Zhou F N, Cao M X (2018). Impact of anthropogenic drivers on subaqueous topographical change in the Datong to Xuliujing reach of the Yangtze River. Sci China Earth Sci, 61(7): 940–950

[52] Zhou Y Y, Huang H Q, Ran L S, Shi C X, Su T (2018). Hydrological controls on the evolution of the Yellow River Delta: an evaluation of the relationship since the Xiaolangdi Reservoir became fully operational. Hydrol Processes, 32(24): 3633–3649

[53] Zhu B Y, Deng J Y, Yue Y, Li Z W, Zhang C C (2019). Responses of erosion and deposition in braided reaches between Datong and Jiangyin to varying water and sediment discharges in lower Yangtze River. Taiwan Water Conservancy, 67(2): 46–57 (in Chinese)

[54] Zhu B Y, Li Y T, Yang P Y, Deng J Y, Yang Y P, Li S X (2018). River bed erosion and deposition responses to sediment reduction in the Chengtong reach of the Yangtze River. Adv Water Sci, 29(5): 706–716 (in Chinese)

[55] Zhu B Y, Li Y T, Yue Y, Yang Y P (2017). Aggravation of north channels’ shrinkage and south channels’ development in the Yangtze Estuary under dam-induced runoff discharge flattening. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci, 187: 178–192

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by open funding of the Key Laboratory of Water-Sediment Sciences and Water Disaster Prevention of Hunan Province (No. 2019SS06), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Nos. 2018YFC0407201 and 2016YFC0402306), and Scientific Research Project of Hunan Provincial Department of Education (No. 16C0055).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2020 Higher Education Press