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    Cross-sectional distribution and transport of water and suspended sediment during the dry season in the upper North Branch of the Yangtze Estuary
    Haofei REN, Erfeng ZHANG, Yaping WANG, Ming TANG, Zhishang LI, Heqin CHENG
    J* E* C* N* U* N* S*    2026, 2026 (3): 174-184.   DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1000-5641.2026.03.014
    Abstract56)   HTML4)    PDF(pc) (1440KB)(53)       Save

    Water and suspended sediment transport is a key process related to the erosion-deposition evolution of an estuary. The previous studies were mostly based on single fixed-point observations in flood season. However, understanding of the situations in the dry season and the distribution along the cross section is insufficient. Based on navigational observations along a cross section during spring and neap tides in January 2021, this study investigated the cross-sectional distributions of current velocity, suspended sediment concentration (SSC), water and sediment fluxes, as well as the characteristics of water and sediment transports during the dry season in the upper reach of the North Branch of the Yangtze Estuary. Results indicate that there are differences in start/end times of flood and ebb tides between different locations in the cross section: earliest at shallow waters on the south side, next at deep trough on the north side, and latest near the deep trough in the northern section, inducing differences in cross-sectional distribution of current velocity at different times. The average current velocities during flood and ebb tides both obviously decrease from deep waters on the north side to shallow waters on the south side. The cross-sectional distribution of average SSC during flood and ebb tides is related to the magnitude of SSC: higher at shallow waters on the middle and south sides than at deep waters on the north side when SSC is low; however, with minor difference in the cross section when SSC is high during spring tides. The water and unit-width sediment fluxes indicate a decreasing trend from deep waters on the north side to shallow waters on the south side during both spring and neap tides, consistent with the cross-sectional distribution of current velocity and water depth. The net sediment transport in a tidal cycle reveals a pattern of moving seaward at deep waters on the north side, and landward at shallow waters on the middle and south sides during neap tides. During spring tides, the extent of landward sediment transport in the cross section is larger, and the volume of landward transport is significantly larger than seaward transport, as well as landward transport during neap tides. This study facilitates a deeper understanding of water and sediment transport characteristics in the upper reach of the North Branch and provides a foundation for further exploration of the control factors of geomorphological erosion and deposition.

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    Impact of strong northerly winds on saltwater intrusion in the Changjiang Estuary under different tidal patterns
    Qianqiang ZHOU, Jianrong ZHU, Rui MA
    J* E* C* N* U* N* S*    2026, 2026 (3): 185-202.   DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1000-5641.2026.03.015
    Abstract64)   HTML3)    PDF(pc) (9453KB)(48)       Save

    Previously measured data indicate differences in salinity variation at the water intake of reservoirs in the Changjiang Estuary during strong northerly winds and different tidal patterns. In this study, a three-dimensional numerical model of saltwater intrusion in the Changjiang Estuary was used to simulate the impacts of climatic winds and strong northerly winds at a speed of 10 m/s for 5 days during four tidal patterns (neap tide, middle tide after neap tide, spring tide, and middle tide after spring tide) on saltwater intrusion and the unsuitable water intake time of the reservoirs. Numerical experimental results showed that the maximum unsuitable water intake time at the water intake of the Qingcaosha Reservoir reached 15.87 days, an increase of 11.63 days compared to that under the climatic wind condition in the experiment of strong northerly wind in the neap tide. The maximum unsuitable water intake time in Dongfengxisha and Chenhang Reservoirs reached 20.12 and 7.95 days, with increases of 5.36 and 4.48 days in the experiments of strong northerly winds during the middle tide after spring tide and neap tide, respectively. Strong northerly winds amplified the landward net water and salt fluxes in the North Branch, with the effect being most pronounced during the spring tide experiment; the practical salinity units (psu) increased significantly in the upper reaches, with a maximum value of 6 in the neap tide experiment. In the South Branch, the seaward net salt flux increased and peaked at 20 t/s in the spring tide experiment. Furthermore, the water diversion ratio increased significantly under northerly winds, with an increase of 4.79% compared with that under the climatic wind condition. In the North Channel, the net water fluxes decreased the most, and a large amount of salt was transported landward in the neap tide experiment. Furthermore, the isohaline of 0.45 (the salinity standard for drinking water) crossed the water intake of the Qingcaosha Reservoir, and the impact of saltwater intrusion was the most serious in the middle tide after neap tide experiment. Additionally, the salinity in the middle-lower reaches increased significantly by up to 8 under the influence of the strong northerly wind in the neap tide experiment. The seaward net water and salt fluxes increased under strong northerly winds in the South Channel, with the maximum net water fluxes in the neap tide experiment and net salt fluxes in the middle tide after spring tide. In contrast, salinity in the middle-lower reaches decreased, particularly in the South Passage, due to the increased water diversion ratio. The net water and salt fluxes increased during different tidal patterns under strong northerly winds in the North Passage, with the most notable increase in the neap tide experiment. Moreover, salinity in the lower reaches increased in the neap tide experiment and middle tide after neap tide experiment. The seaward net water and salt fluxes increased in the neap tide experiment in the South Passage, and salinity decreased slightly in all experiments, with the most remarkable decrease observed in the neap tide experiment.

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