Abstract:

The Three Gorges Dam(TGD) changes the water source of estuary area，which may influence the dynamics of watersalt in estuary areas. We analyzed the possible impact of the 2006 water storing process to the downstream areas. Water storing decreased about 4 000 m3/s of the flow in the Yangtze River. Compared with the lowest runoff, water flow dropped about 333%. Taking the flow loss into consideration, we found a runoff time series that is similar to storing period in 2006. The Yangtze River water, groundwater and soil salt content in 2006 were greater than those during similar time series, and the Yangtze River water EC and soil salinity increased about 45% and 10% respectively. Decline in water flow influences the dynamics of all the watersalt element in a certain extent, that is to say, the TGD can be estimated as an important factor in the process that influenced the watersalt change in the estuary region.〖