Filling of the Three Gorges Reservoir to the 135-m level: Instant effects on the Yangtze discharge and suspended sediment concentration entering the estuary

Via the valuable opportunity of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) 135-m filling in June 2003, the Yangtze discharge and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) entering the estuary during the period from 15 May to 15 July 2003 were analyzed to examine the instant effects of the filling on them. The Yangtze discharge and SSC entering the estuary in the periods before, during and after the filling clearly indicated three phases: 1) the pre-storage phase characterized by natural conditions, in which the SSC increased with increasing water discharge; 2) the storage phase, during which the SSC decreased dramatically with decreasing water discharge; and 3) the post-storage phase, during which both the SSC and water discharge remained at relatively low levels first until the end of June, then the SSC increased gradually with increasing water discharge. It seems that the times for the instant effects of the decreasing discharge downstream from the upper Yangtze on the Yangtze discharge and SSC entering the estuary due to the TGR 135-m filling to take place were about 5 d and 1 d respectively, while both were about 18 d for those of the increasing discharge. This probably reflects the buffering and resultantly hysteresis of the 1800-km stretch from the upper Yangtze to the estuary. The results are helpful for scientific and hydrological investigation of the Yangtze mainstream downstream from the TGR Dam and of the estuarine and adjacent coastal waters.