The Effect on the Flow Conditions of Chinese Sturgeons’ Spawning Sites in the Process of Peak Regulation between the Three Gorges Dam and Gezhou Dam.

Abstract: Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis Gray) is a kind of key protected fish in ChangJiang river. Recently the Three Gorges dam has run, the peak regulation process between the two dams has serious effect on the formed spawning sites. Based on the previous research results of suitable flow conditions about the spawning sites, this article builds a 2-D shallow water numerical model, calculates the flow conditions of the spawning sites in the process of peak regulation. The results show that the water depth and velocity are various and affect the spawning sites in one 24-hours process of peak regulation, as a whole, when the discharge is below 9000 m3/s and 7500 m3/s respectively, the two spawning sites will be affected seriously. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]