Author(s): Jianhua Tang; Xuejun Xu
Linked Author(s): Jianhua Tang
Keywords: Strong human activities the Yangtze River Estuary of China riverbed erosion and deposition feedback of tidal strength
Abstract: In order to explore the evolution of the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE) of China and the feedback of tidal strength under strong human intervention, the changes in shoreline and erosion and deposition patterns of YRE over the past two decades, as well as changes of tidal strength were studied, based on the bathymetry data of YRE from 1997 to 2023, combined with scenario simulation of YRE by tidal mathematical model. The results showed that, under the influence of strong human activities on a twenty-year scale from 1997 to 2023, shoreline of YRE expanded towards the sea, resulted in an average reduction of 2400 meters in river-width, a decrease of 643.79 square kilometers in water area, an increase of 136 million cubic meters in volume, and an increase of 1.3 meters in average water-depth, showing a trend of "river channel narrowing, cross section erosion, channel formation, and riverbed deepening"; the tidal strength in South Branch, South Passage, and the upper part of North Branch of YRE has increased, while the tidal strength in North Channel, North Passage, and Hengsha Channel has decreased, and there was no significant change in the other region of YRE; the shallow water deformation of tide in the lower region of YRE was enhanced; the irregular semi-diurnal tide coverage area in South Branch, South Channel, and North Channel was moved downwards. The results of this study can provide useful guidance for the protection and management of YRE.
Year: 2025