Trends in River Total Suspended Sediments Driven by Dams and Soil Erosion: A Comparison Between the Yangtze and Mekong Rivers

Guan, Qi1,2; Feng, Lian1; Tang, Jing3,4; Park, Edward5,6; Ali, Tarig A.7; Zheng, Yi1

2022-10-01

10.1029/2022WR031979

WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH   Impact Factor & Quartile

0043-1397

1944-7973

Global river systems are experiencing rapid changes in sediment transport under growing anthropogenic and climatic stresses. However, the response of sediment discharge to the coupled influence of anthropogenic and natural factors and the associated impacts on the fluvial geomorphology in the Yangtze and Mekong rivers are not comprehensively assessed. Here, we recalibrated a seamless retrieval algorithm of the total suspended sediment (TSS) concentrations using in situ data and concurrent satellite data sets to analyze spatiotemporal patterns of the TSS concentrations in the lower Yangtze and Mekong rivers. Combined with soil erosion rates estimated by the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation for the past 20 years, we examined the contributions of different factors to TSS trends. The results show that TSS concentrations in the Yangtze River decreased from 0.47 g L-1 in 2000 to 0.23 g L-1 in 2018 due to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), especially in the Jingjiang reach, with a declining magnitude of 0.3 g L-1 (similar to 56%) since the TGD began operating. The Mekong River experienced increasing TSS concentration trends upstream and decreasing trends downstream from 2000 to 2018, possibly attributed to increased upstream soil erosion and decreased downstream water discharge. Declining TSS concentrations in both rivers have driven varying degrees of river channel erosion over the past two decades. This study investigated long-term changes in the TSS concentrations and soil erosion in the Yangtze and Mekong rivers, and the results provide baseline information for the sustainable development of river sediment delivery.

total suspended sediment dam MODIS Yangtze Mekong soil erosion

SCI

English

First ; Corresponding

National Natural Science Foundation of China["42271322","41971304"] ; Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee[JCYJ20190809155205559] ; Stable Support Plan Program of Shenzhen Natural Science Fund[20200925155151006] ; Shenzhen Science and Technology Program[KCXFZ20201221173007020]

Environmental Sciences & Ecology ; Marine & Freshwater Biology ; Water Resources

Environmental Sciences ; Limnology ; Water Resources

WOS:000863634000001

AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION

ENVIRONMENT/ECOLOGY

Web of Science

1.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Sch Environm Sci & Engn, Shenzhen, Peoples R China
2.Univ Copenhagen, Dept Geosci & Nat Resource Management, Copenhagen, Denmark
3.Lund Univ, Dept Phys Geog & Ecosyst Sci, Lund, Sweden
4.Univ Copenhagen, Dept Biol, Copenhagen, Denmark
5.Nanyang Technol Univ, Natl Inst Educ, Earth Observ Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
6.Nanyang Technol Univ, Asian Sch Environm, Singapore, Singapore
7.Amer Univ Sharjah, Coll Engn, Geospatial Anal Ctr, Sharjah, U Arab Emirates

Guan, Qi,Feng, Lian,Tang, Jing,et al. Trends in River Total Suspended Sediments Driven by Dams and Soil Erosion: A Comparison Between the Yangtze and Mekong Rivers[J]. WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH,2022,58(10).

Guan, Qi,Feng, Lian,Tang, Jing,Park, Edward,Ali, Tarig A.,&Zheng, Yi.(2022).Trends in River Total Suspended Sediments Driven by Dams and Soil Erosion: A Comparison Between the Yangtze and Mekong Rivers.WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH,58(10).

Guan, Qi,et al."Trends in River Total Suspended Sediments Driven by Dams and Soil Erosion: A Comparison Between the Yangtze and Mekong Rivers".WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH 58.10(2022).