Mitigation Effect of Dense Water Network on Heavy PM2.5 Pollution: A Case Model of the Twain-Hu Basin, Central China

The influence of the underlying surface on the atmospheric environment over rivers and lakes is not fully understood. To improve our understanding, this study targeted the Twain-Hu Basin (THB) in central China, with a unique underlying surface comprising a dense water network over rivers and lakes. In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) was used to simulate the impact of this dense water network on a wintertime heavy PM2.5 pollution event in the THB. On this basis, the regulating effects of density and area of the lake groups, with centralized big lakes (CBLs) and discrete small lakes (DSLs), on PM2.5 concentrations over the underlying surface of the dense water network in the THB were clarified, and the relative contributions of thermal factors and water vapor factors in the atmospheric boundary layer to the variation of PM2.5 concentrations were evaluated. The results show that the underlying surface of dense water networks in the THB generally decreases the PM2.5 concentrations, but the influences of different lake-group types are not uniform in spatial distribution. The CBLs can reduce the PM2.5 concentrations over the lake and its surroundings by 4.90-17.68% during the day and night. The ability of DSLs in reducing PM2.5 pollution is relatively weak, with the reversed contribution between -5.63% and 1.56%. Thermal factors and water vapor-related factors are the key meteorological drivers affecting the variation of PM2.5 concentrations over the underlying surface of dense water networks. The warming and humidification effects of such underlying surfaces contribute positively and negatively to the purification of air pollution, respectively. The relative contributions of thermal factors and water vapor-related factors are 52.48% and 43.91% for CBLs and 65.96% and 27.31% for DSLs, respectively. The purification effect of the underlying surface with a dense water network in the THB on regional air pollution highlights the importance of environmental protection of inland rivers and lakes in regional environmental governance. In further studies on the atmospheric environment, long-term studies are necessary, including fine measurements in terms of meteorology and the environment and more comprehensive simulations under different scenarios.

Automated summary

This study investigates the influence of a dense water network formed by rivers and lakes on the atmospheric environment in the Twain-Hu Basin (THB) in central China. The results demonstrate that the lake groups have a positive purification effect on air pollution, emphasizing the importance of protecting inland rivers and lakes in regional environmental governance.