Modelling of phosphorus and nonuniform sediment transport in the Middle Yangtze River with the effects of channel erosion , tributary confluence and anthropogenic emission

Phosphorus (P) transport plays a crucial role in the aquatic ecology of natural rivers. However, our understanding still remains unclear that how P transport is affected in a river-lake connected system downstream of a dam. This system usually undergoes both severe channel degradation and complex exchange of flow-sedimentphosphorus between the mainstem and tributaries. In the current study, a method was proposed firstly to determine the individual contribution of different sources to P recover based on the calculation of phosphorus budget; then an integrated model was developed, covering the modules of flow, nonuniform sediment and phosphorus transport. The application of the proposed method in the 955-km-long Middle Yangtze River (MYR) shows that the type of P transportation was predominantly changed from particulate phosphorus to dissolved phosphorus after the operation of the Three Gorges Project (TGP), but a significant longitudinal recovery of total phosphorus (TP) flux was observed. The TP flux exporting from the MYR was mainly from the Upper Yangtze River (44%), and 12%, 18% and 26% of that were originated from channel erosion, tributary confluence and anthropogenic emission. Moreover, the effects were investigated of nonuniform sediment transport and bedmaterial coarsening on P transport in the MYR, based on the proposed integrated model. Obtained results show that the TP transport process in the MYR was more reasonable simulated using the nonuniform sediment mode, and it is also confirmed that the process of bed-material coarsening after the TGP operation would lead to the decrease of particulate phosphorus flux in the MYR.

Automated summary

This study proposed a method to determine the contribution of different sources to phosphorus recovery and developed an integrated model including flow, nonuniform sediment, and phosphorus transport. The application in the Middle Yangtze River showed a shift from particulate phosphorus to dissolved phosphorus transportation after the operation of the Three Gorges Project (TGP), but a significant longitudinal recovery of total phosphorus (TP) flux was observed. The effects of nonuniform sediment transport and bed-material coarsening on phosphorus transport were also investigated.