Projecting Spring Consecutive Rainfall Events in the Three Gorges Reservoir Based on Triple-Nested Dynamical Downscaling

Spring consecutive rainfall events(CREs) are key triggers of geological hazards in the Three Gorges Reservoir area(TGR), China. However, previous projections of CREs based on the direct outputs of global climate models(GCMs) are subject to considerable uncertainties, largely caused by their coarse resolution. This study applies a triple-nested WRF(Weather Research and Forecasting) model dynamical downscaling, driven by a GCM, MIROC6(Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate, version 6), to improve the historical simulation and reduce the uncertainties in the future projection of CREs in the TGR. Results indicate that WRF has better performances in reproducing the observed rainfall in terms of the daily probability distribution, monthly evolution and duration of rainfall events, demonstrating the ability of WRF in simulating CREs. Thus, the triple-nested WRF is applied to project the future changes of CREs under the middle-of-the-road and fossil-fueled development scenarios. It is indicated that light and moderate rainfall and the duration of continuous rainfall spells will decrease in the TGR, leading to a decrease in the frequency of CREs. Meanwhile, the duration, rainfall amount, and intensity of CREs is projected to regional increase in the central-west TGR. These results are inconsistent with the raw projection of MIROC6. Observational diagnosis implies that CREs are mainly contributed by the vertical moisture advection. Such a synoptic contribution is captured well by WRF, which is not the case in MIROC6,indicating larger uncertainties in the CREs projected by MIROC6.

Microplastics in sediment of the Three Gorges Reservoir:abundance and characteristics under different environmental conditions

Freshwater microplastic pollution is an urgent issue of global concern,and research on the distribution in reservoirs is lacking.We investigated the microplastic pollution levels in wet sediments collected from the Three Gorges Reservoir,the largest reservoir of China.Results show that microplastics were ubiquitous in the sediments of the Three Gorges Reservoir,and their abundance ranged from 59 to 276 pp/kg(plastic particles per kg,dry weight).Economic development and total population were important factors affecting the spatial heterogeneity of microplastic abundance,and the contribution of large cities along the reservoir to microplastic pollution should be paid with more attention.Fibrous microplastics were the most abundant type of microplastic particles in reservoir sediments,whereas polystyrene,polypropylene,and polyamide were the main types of polymers.The apparent spatial heterogeneity in morphology and color of microplastics is attributed to different anthropogenic or landbased pollution sources.Moreover,the accumulation of microplastics near the inlet of tributaries reflects the role of potential contributors of tributaries.More importantly,multiple bisphenols(BPs)and heavy metals detected at the microplastic surfaces indicate that microplastics can act as carriers of these pollutants in the environment in the same way as sediments did,which may alter the environmental fate and toxicity of these pollutants.Therefore,we conclude that the Three Gorges Reservoir had been contaminated with microplastics,which posed a stress risk for organisms who ingest them along with their associated pollutants(BPs,heavy metals).

Characteristics and influencing mechanisms of production-living-ecological space dynamics in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area(TGRA),Chongqing,China

The Three Gorges Reservoir Area(TGRA)is an important ecological barrier in the Yangtze River Basin,China.Therefore,it is of great importance to understand the spatio-temporal variation and the driving factors of production-living-ecological spaces for sustainable and high-quality development in the TGRA.This study investigated the dynamic variation of production-living-ecological spaces in the TGRA by employing land use data in 2000,2005,2010,2015,and 2018,and detected the influencing factors by using the Geographic detector(GeoDetector).Results implied that the structure and dynamic trajectories of production-living-ecological spaces in the TGRA varied in both horizontal and vertical directions,and the study area was dominated by ecological space.A spatial orientation towards the northeast was detected in the evolution of production-living-ecological spaces during 2000-2018.In terms of quantity,the transition from ecological space(grassland and woodland)to agriculture land accounted for the largest proportion from 2000 to 2018.However,the reverse transition from agriculture land to ecological space has increased since 2000 with the efforts of“Grain for Green”.In terms of temporal scale,there was a fluctuating trend in production space with the continuous expansion of living space,while ecological space showed an inverted U-shaped trend during 2000-2018.The dynamic pattern of production-living-ecological spaces in the TGRA was influenced by both physical and socio-economic variables as basic determinants and dominant driving factors,respectively.Finally,the harmonization and protection of production-living-ecological spaces still require policy-makers’efforts.This work may have potential in advancing our understanding about land use conflicts,and provide a reference for rational layout of spatial functions and the realization of sustainable development in the TGRA.

Long-Term Performance and Microstructural Characterization of Dam Concrete in the Three Gorges Project

This study investigates the long-term performance of laboratory dam concrete in different curing environments over ten years and the microstructure of 17-year-old laboratory concrete and actual concrete cores drilled from the Three Gorges Dam.The mechanical properties of the laboratory dam concrete,whether cured in natural or standard environments,continued to improve over time.Furthermore,the laboratory dam concrete exhibited good resistance to diffusion and a refined microstructure after 17 years.However,curing and long-term exposure to the local natural environment reduced the frost resistance.Microstructural analyses of the laboratory concrete samples demonstrated that moderate-heat cement and fine fly ash(FA)particles were almost fully hydrated to form compact micro structures consisting of large quantities of homogeneous calcium(alumino)silicate hydrate(C-(A)-S-H)gels and a few crystals.No obvious interfacial transition zones were observed in the microstructure owing to the longterm pozzolanic reaction.This dense and homogenous microstructure was the crucial reason for the excellent long-term performance of the dam concrete.A high FA volume also played a significant role in the microstructural densification and performance growth of dam concrete at a later age.The concrete drilled from the dam surface exhibited a loose microstructure with higher microporosity,indicating that concrete directly exposed to the actual service environment suffered degradation caused by water and wind attacks.In this study,both macro-performance and microstructural analyses revealed that the application of moderate-heat cement and FA resulted in a dense and homogenous microstructure,which ensured the excellent long-term performance of concrete from the Three Gorges Dam after 17 years.Long-term exposure to an actual service environment may lead to microstructural degradation of the concrete surface.Therefore,the retained long-term dam concrete samples need to be further researched to better understand its microstructural evolution and development of its properties.

Climate state of the Three Gorges Region in the Yangtze River basin in 2022–2023

Based on daily observation data of the Three Gorges Region(TGR)of the Yangtze River basin and global reanalysis data,the climate characteristics,climate events,and meteorological disasters of the TGR in 2022 and 2023 were analyzed.For the TGR,the average annual temperature for 2022 and 2023 was 0.8℃ and 0.4℃ higher than normal,respectively,making them the two warmest years in the past decade.In 2022,the TGR experienced its warmest summer on record.The average air temperature was 2.4℃ higher than the average,and there were 24.8 days of above-average high temperature days during summer.Rainfall in the TGR varied significantly between 2022 and 2023.Annual rainfall was 18.4%below normal and drier than normal in most parts of the region.In contrast,the precipitation in 2023 was considerably higher than the long-term average,and above normal for almost the entire year.The average wind speed exhibited minimal variation between the two years.However,the number of foggy days and relative humidity increased in 2023 compared to 2022.In 2022–2023,the TGR mainly experienced meteorological disasters such as extreme high temperatures,regional heavy rain and flooding,overcast rain,and inverted spring chill.Analysis indicates that the abnormal western Pacific subtropical high and the abnormal persistence of the eastward-shifted South Asian high were the two important drivers of the durative enhancement of record-breaking high temperature in the summer of 2022.

Environmental heterogeneity and productivity drive the assemblage of benthic diatom:a case study of the Three Gorges Reservoir

Dam construction has a critical effect on river ecosystems in the world,resulting in a rapid decline in biodiversity and ecosystem health.However,the effect of dam construction on the assemblage pattern of benthic diatoms remains unclear.The benthic diatoms assemblages in the tributary backwater area of the Three Gorges Reservoir(TGR)were investigated under low water level(LWL)and high water level(HWL)conditions.Results show that Discostella stelligera,Nitzschia palea,and Craticula subminuscula were dominant species in LWL,while Achnanthidium minutissimum and Nitzschia dissipata were dominant in HWL.Furthermore,environmental variables,productivity parameters,diversity indices,and community similarity were found significantly different between LWL and HWL periods.The Mantel test indicated that both environmental and spatial factors had significant effects on diatom communities in backwater area,while productivity was also a key driving force in LWL.The variation partitioning analysis(VPA)further demonstrated that environment factors could explain the largest variance of diatom assemblages in HWL(9%)and LWL(11%),followed by spatial factors.The relative importance of productivity to diatom community was significantly enhanced in LWL,but only a slight effect was found in HWL.These results indicate that the diatom assemblages were shaped by both environmental filtering and spatial factors.The relative importance of spatial factors depended on the degree of productivity.Therefore,the homogenization of diatom communities due to environmental disturbance,e.g.eutrophication and dam building,is the underlying mechanism in assembling the benthic diatoms.

Climate Characteristics in Three Gorges Reservoir Area after Water Storage and Its Impact on the Production Potential

Based on the meteorological data from 33 stations of Three Gorges Reservoir from 1960 to 2008,climate yield of rice,corn and winter wheat and the changes of climatic potential productivity after water storage in Three Gorges Reservoir were calculated by the dynamic statistic model of crop growth.The results showed that the temperature in Three Gorges Reservoir was fluctuant decreased before late 1980s,and warmed rapidly after the late 1980s.The precipitation had little change before the late 1990s and had a slight decrease after the late 1990s.Sunshine hours were more in 1960s and 1970s,and then it changed little after 1980s.After water storage,the temperature increased in Three Gorges Reservoir as a whole.The precipitation decreased in the south of Three Gorges Reservoir,while it increased in the northwest of Three Gorges Reservoir.The sunshine hours were reduced except that in the vicinity of Dianjiang.After water storage,climatic potential productivity of rice decreased in the northwest and the northeast,while it increased in the south of Three Gorges Reservoir.The climatic potential productivity of corn decreased in the northeast and the southwest,but increased in the rest of Three Gorges Reservoir.The climatic potential productivity of winter wheat increased almost in total.

Strategies for Safe Land Use of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (Chongqing Section)——With the Restoration of Degraded Forest Landscapes as a Study Case

As a key for constructing ecologically safe scenery, forest landscape pattern in Chongqing Section of the Three Gorges has shown degradation, fragmentation and revision of varying degrees. To ensure normal and safe operation of the Three Gorges, and meet requirements of integrated development strategies for ecological and economic effects in Chongqing City on the ecological security of land use in Chongqing section of the Three Gorges, the following points should be attached more importance in making future strategies for an ecologically safe land use pattern with the restoration of degraded forest landscape as its starting point:a. Ecological effects and economic functions that can be supplied by forest landscape elements in different restoration patterns should be understood to obtain background effect of the ecological security pattern scenario of land use in the reservoir region; b. Relationship between restoration of degraded forest landscapes and serious ecological interference factors such as degradation background, artificial disturbance and engineering stress, should be simulated to figure out the influence of natural or artificial driving factors on landscape pattern, determine the future restoration mode for the degraded forest landscapes in the reservoir region, so as to facilitate the construction of great ecological-economic security pattern of the Three Gorges. The findings will provide scientific basis for the decision-making in building an ecologically safe land use pattern in the Three Gorges reservoir area (Chongqing), when using the degradation of forest landscape restoration as a carrier at present or in the future. Further, they will help realize the development goals of "Livable Chongqing, Expedite Chongqing, Forestry Chongqing, Safe Chongqing and Healthy Chongqing".

Induced Earthquake Monitoring of the Three Gorges Reservoir

The Three Gorges Project(TGP) on the Yangtze River(YR) is the largest water power station in the world;it is now attracting the worldwide attention. Possessing comprehensive utilization benefits mainly for flood control,power generation and navigation improvement,TGP will be a vital and backbone project in harnessing and developing of the YR. TGP has been commenced in 1993,the main channel of Yangtze was diverted on Nov.8th,1997 and whole project was completed in 2009. The Three Gorges(TG) reservoir has been formed since June 2003 and impounded to 175 m on Oct.26th,2010. The reservoir has a total length of 660 km and an average width of 1.0-1.5 km,with a total waters area of 1048 km2. In pace with the raised pool level,the enlargedstorage,the probability of reservoir earthquake would be enlarged. According to the magnitude records of historical maximum earthquake and properly weighted,defined the maximum reliable earthquake of TG reservoir would be ML6 magnitude,existed the probability of ML 5.0-5.8 induced earthquake around the Xiannvshan and Jiuwanxi fault zone(18 km upstream of the dam) . However,the highest intensity around the dam site would not exceed Degree VI,whereas the main structures of TGP were designed with an anti-seismic intensity of Degree VII,hence the reservoir induced earthquake would not form direct threat to the main structures of TGP. After the impoundment and operation of TG reservoir,the frequency and intensity of earthquake has been increased in some extent,yet the earthquake activities at TG region still kept in an original weak earthquake activities status. We should strengthen the TG reservoir induced earthquake monitoring and forecast,prevent the earthquake and geological calamity,ensure the safety of dam construction and operation,form the harmonious society as well as guarantee the long term security. This paper explained the mechanism,kinds,causes,development and calamities of the earthquakes in the world,collected a lot of TGP,China and World's earthquake and geology materials. Such as 105 year(Jan.1906-June2011) earthquake records in the world(Tab.1) ,13 main reservoir induced earthquake records in China(Tab. 2) ,19 main reservoir induced earthquake records in the world(Tab.3) ,14 year(1996-2009) reservoir earthquake monitoring records in TGP(Tab.4) . Analyzed the cause,calamities of the main earthquakes as well as its alarm and forecast. May it provide reference for readers and beg your guide.

Preliminary Study on Early-warning System of Ecological Security in Water-Level-Fluctuating Zone (WLFZ) of Three Gorges Reservoir

The area,the scope as well as some ecological environment questions in Three Gorges Reservoir was briefly introduced. Then its early warning-system frame was preliminarily constructed,which includes ecological security dynamic monitoring,ecological security appraisal,ecological security forecast and ecological security decision-making management. The synthetic evaluation indicator system of the ecological security quality were initially established,which includes ecological environment pollution,land use and land cover change,geological hazard and epidemic outbreaks. At the same time,29 evaluating indicators were selected,divides into the basic factors,response factors and inducing factors,which need to be Real-time monitored.

Plankton community composition in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region revealed by PCR-DGGE and its relationships with environmental factors

To explore the relationships between community composition and the environment in a reservoir ecosystem, plankton communities from the Three Gorges Reservoir Region were studied by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting. Bacterial and eukaryotic operational taxonomic units （OTUs）, generated by DGGE analysis of the PCR-amplified 16S and 18S rRNA genes, were used as surrogates for the dominant ＂biodiversity units＂. OTU composition among the sites was heterogeneous; 46.7% of the total bacterial OTUs （45） and 64.1% of the eukaryotic OTUs （39） were identified in less than half of the sampling sites. Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages （UPGMA） clustering of the OTUs suggested that the plankton communities in the Xiangxi Rive sites were not always significantly different from those from the Yangtze River sites, despite clear differences in their environmental characterizations. Canonical correspondence analysis （CCA） was applied to further investigate the relationships between OTU composition and the environmental factors. The first two CCA ordination axes suggested that the bacterial community composition was primarily correlated with the variables of NO3^--N, dissolved oxygen （DO）, and SiO3^2--Si, whereas, the eukaryotic community was mainly correlated with the concentrations of DO, PO4^3--P, and SiO3^2--Si.

Reductions in non-point source pollution through different management practices for an agricultural watershed in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area

Non-point source water pollution generated by agricultural production is considered a major environmental issue in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area （TGRA） of China. The Annualised Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution （AnnAGNPS） model was selected to assess the impact of the application of various management treats, including seven crops, five fertilizer levels and three-group management practice scenarios, on water quality from Heigou River Watershed in TGRA. The scenario subsets include conservation tillage practice （CTP）, conservation reserve program （CRP） and conversion of cropland into forestland program （CCFP）. Results indicated that tea can not be replaced by other crops because comparatively tea resulted in a higher sediment yield. CTP with no-tillage was more effective to reduce sediment yield, but could increased nutrient loss. CRP reduced sediment yield significantly, but slightly benefited on nutrient loss. CCFP reduced not only sediment yield but also the nutrient loss significantly. The conversion of cropland with a slope greater than 10° into forestland was found to be the best scenario as the sediment yield export is less than 5 tons/ha and nutrient loss is within the permissible limit.

Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus on the water quality in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area during and after its construction

A survey concerning the concentration of the nutrients in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area was carried out. This paper presents the parameters(NO 3 - N, NO 2 - N, Kjeldahl N, non ionic ammonia, P PO 4 and TP) determined at 16 sampling sites from 1997 to 1999 The dominant soluble nitrogen form was NO 3 - N followed by Kjeldahl N, NO 2 - N and non ionic ammonia. Mean values of NO 3 - N, NO 2 - N, Kjeldahl N and non ionic ammonia ranged from 0 50 to 2 37 mg/L, 0 022 to 0 084 mg/L, 0 33 to 0 99 mg/L and 0 007 to 0 092 mg/L respectively. Mean values of P PO 4 at most sampling sites were higher than 0 1 mg/L for subject to eutrophication. The major factors influencing the concentrations of N and P might be agricultural runoff, municipal and industrial effluents. In addition, 6 kinds of soil were sampled at the area where would inundated after the dam completed. Two approaches were adopted to simulate the N and P release from the inundated soils. The results showed that the soils would release nitrogen and phosphorus to the overlying water when the soils were inundated. The characteristics of soil affected the equilibrium concentrations of N and P between the soil and the overlying water.

Mapping landslide susceptibility at the Three Gorges Reservoir, China, using gradient boosting decision tree,random forest and information value models

This work was to generate landslide susceptibility maps for the Three Gorges Reservoir(TGR) area, China by using different machine learning models. Three advanced machine learning methods, namely, gradient boosting decision tree(GBDT), random forest(RF) and information value(InV) models, were used, and the performances were assessed and compared. In total, 202 landslides were mapped by using a series of field surveys, aerial photographs, and reviews of historical and bibliographical data. Nine causative factors were then considered in landslide susceptibility map generation by using the GBDT, RF and InV models. All of the maps of the causative factors were resampled to a resolution of 28.5 m. Of the 486289 pixels in the area,28526 pixels were landslide pixels, and 457763 pixels were non-landslide pixels. Finally, landslide susceptibility maps were generated by using the three machine learning models, and their performances were assessed through receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves, the sensitivity, specificity,overall accuracy(OA), and kappa coefficient(KAPPA). The results showed that the GBDT, RF and In V models in overall produced reasonable accurate landslide susceptibility maps. Among these three methods, the GBDT method outperforms the other two machine learning methods, which can provide strong technical support for producing landslide susceptibility maps in TGR.

Fractal characterization of sediment particle-size distribution in the water-level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

The combined effect of periodic water impoundment and seasonal natural flood events has created a 30 m high water-level fluctuation zone(WLFZ) around the Three Gorges Reservoir(TGR), China, forming a unique eco-landscape. Siltation, eutrophication, enrichment of heavy metals, and methane emissions in the WLFZ have been widely associated with sediment and soil particles generated from the upstream catchment or upland slopes. However, little attention has been paid to the complexity of sediment particle-size distributions in the WLFZ. In the present study, core samples(from a 345 cm thick sediment core from the base of the WLFZ), slope transect surface samples(across/up a WLFZ slope), and along-river/longitudinal surface samples(from the reservoir reaches) were collected. Laser granulometry and a volume-based fractal model were used to reveal the characteristics of sediment particle-size distributions. Results indicate that the alternation of coarse and fine particles in the sedimentary core profile is represented as a fluctuation of low and high values of fractal dimension(D), ranging from 2.59 to 2.77. On the WLFZ slope transect, surface sediment particles coarsen with increasing elevation, sand content increases from 3.3% to 78.5%, and D decreases from 2.76 to 2.53. Longitudinally, surface sediments demonstrate a downstream-fining trend, and D increases gradually downstream. D is significantly positively correlated with the fine particle content. We conclude that D is a useful measure for evaluating sediment particle-size distribution.

Displacement characteristics and prediction of Baishuihe landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir

In order to reach the designated final water level of 175 m, there were three impoundment stages in the Three Gorges Reservoir, with water levels of 135 m, 156 m and 175 m. Baishuihe landslide in the Reservoir was chosen to analyze its displacement characteristics and displacement variability at the different stages. Based on monitoring data, the landslide displacement was mainly influenced by rainfall and drawdown of the reservoir water level. However, the magnitude of the rise and drawdown of the water level after the reservoir water level reached 175 m did not accelerate landslide displacement. The prediction of landslide displacement for active landslides is very important for landslide risk management. The time series of cumulative displacement was divided into a trend term and a periodic term using the Hodrick-Prescott(HP) filter method. The polynomial model was used to predict the trend term. The extreme learning machine(ELM) and least squares support vector machine(LS-SVM) were chosen to predict theperiodic term. In the prediction model for the periodic term, input variables based on the effects of rainfall and reservoir water level in landslide displacement were selected using grey relational analysis. Based on the results, the prediction precision of ELM is better than that of LS-SVM for predicting landslide displacement. The method for predicting landslide displacement could be applied by relevant authorities in making landslide emergency plans in the future.

Changes in cultivated land patterns and driving forces in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, China, from 1992 to 2015

Changes of cultivated land patterns caused by major water conservation projects are rarely reported. We selected the Three Gorges Reservoir area in China to study the change in area and landscape pattern of the cultivated land in the head,central, and tail areas of the reservoir that took place between 1992 and 2015;we then studied the spatial distribution of the cultivated land in the three parts of the reservoir;finally, we studied the driving forces behind the changes in the cultivated land. The results derived are as follows.(1) During the construction of the Three Gorges Project(TGP, 1992–2015), the area of cultivated land around the reservoir decreased by30.23 million ha. This reduction occurred in phases:the most severe change in cultivated land occurred during the later stage of the project(2002–2010);only 0.62 million ha of cultivated land did not change between 1992 and 2015.(2) Spatial pattern analysis showed that the cultivated land in the three parts of the reservoir changed from a northern distribution to a southern distribution;thus, the area of cultivated land in the north decreased over the time period. The area of cultivated land in the head and tail areas decreased by varying degrees, while it increased in the central area over the 23 years, indicating that the change in cultivated land showed regional differences.(3) The TGP, the policy of reverting farmland to forest,and urbanization were the main driving factors for the change of cultivated land, but there were differences in their impacts at different stages.(4) According to the patch dynamics of the land cover change, the degree of change gradually intensified during the early and later stages of the project and then stabilized during the operational period. Our research provides scientific support for the protection of cultivated land resources and food security in the reservoir area and for the coordination of social and economic development, which is of great significance to sustainable development in the reservoir area.

Landslides and Slope Aspect in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area Based on GIS and Information Value Model

Slope aspect is one of the indispensable internal factors besides lithology, relative elevation and slope degree. In this paper authors use information value model with Geo graphical Information System （GIS） technology to study how slope aspect contributes to landslide growth from Yunyang to Wushan segment in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, and the relationship between aspect and landslide growth is quantified. Through the research on 205 landslides examples, it is found that the slope contributes most whose aspect is towards south,southeast and southwest aspect contribute moderately, and other five aspects contribute little. The research result inosculates preferably with the fact. The result of this paper can provide potent gist to the construction of Three Gorges Reservoir area in future.

Prediction of chlorophyll a concentration using HJ-1 satellite imagery for Xiangxi Bay in Three Gorges Reservoir

Since the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir in 2003, algal blooms have frequently been observed in it. The chlorophyll a concentration is an important parameter for evaluating algal blooms. In this study, the chlorophyll a concentration in Xiangxi Bay, in the Three Gorges Reservoir, was predicted using HJ-1 satellite imagery. Several models were established based on a correlation analysis between in situ measurements of the chlorophyll a concentration and the values obtained from satellite images of the study area from January 2010 to December 2011. Chlorophyll a concentrations in Xiangxi Bay were predicted based on the established models. The results show that the maximum correlation is between the reflectance of the band combination of B4/（B2＋B3） and in situ measurements of chlorophyll a concentration. The root mean square errors of the predicted values using the linear and quadratic models are 18.49 mg/m3 and 18.52 mg/m3, respectively, and the average relative errors are 37.79% and 36.79%, respectively. The results provide a reference for water bloom prediction in typical tributaries of the Three Gorges Reservoir and contribute to large-scale remote sensing monitoring and water quality management.

Dynamics of Rodent and Rodent-borne Disease during Construction of the Three Gorges Reservoir from 1997 to 2012

Objective To investigate the impact of impoundment and active public health interventions on rodent populations and rodent-borne diseases in the Three Gorges reservoir region from 1997 to 2012. Methods Surveillance data from 1997 to 2012 were extracted from the Public Health Surveillance System of The Three Gorges established in 1997. Temporal changes in the incidences of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome （HFRS） and leptospirosis, rodent density, pathogen-carrying rates, and their correlations were analyzed. Results The average indoor and outdoor rodent densities decreased overall from 1997 to 2012. The average densities decreased by 47.72% （from 4.38% to 2.29%） and 39.68% （from 4.41% to 2.66%）, respectively, after impoundment （2003-2012） compared with before impoundment （1997-2002）. The average annual incidence rates of HFRS and leptospirosis were 0.29/100,000 and 0.52/100,000, respectively, and decreased by 85.74% （from 0.68/100,000 to 0.10/100,000） and 95.73% （from 1.47/100,000 to 0.06S/100,000）, respectively, after impoundment compared with before impoundment. Incidences of HFRS and leptospirosis appear to be positively correlated with rodent density in the reservoir area. Conclusion This study demonstrated that rodent density and incidences of rodent-borne diseases decreased and were maintained at low levels during construction of the Three Gorges dam. Measures that reduce rodent population densities could be effective in controlling rodent-borne diseases during large-scale hydraulic engineering construction.