An eco-environmental friendly operation: An effective method to mitigate the harmful blooms in the tributary bays of Three Gorges Reservoir

Harmful algal blooms, which frequently occur in different tributaries, have become a serious water quality problem of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) since its initial filling. A three-year monitoring campaign from 2008 to 2010 was conducted to identify the controlling factors of algal blooms and effective preventive measures. The following results were obtained: 1) Layered and bidirectional currents, called intrusive density currents, dominate the tributary bays of the TGR year round; 2) continuously increasing water level can make the intruding density current shift from the middle to the surface, and surface intrusive water can reduce the surface water temperature and break the stable stratification of the tributary; 3) the appearing or fading away of algal blooms is closely associated with fluctuations in the TGR water level. Thus, the water level fluctuation patterns of different “tide-types” may prevent the occurrence of algal blooms in the spring and summer, and the “stair-type” tides may control autumn blooms during the impounding period. These methods were feasible and effective throughout the actual TGR’s operation in 2009–2011. These patterns formed an eco-environmentally friendly operation (EEFO) to mitigate algal blooms. As an in situ treatment with easier operation and less negative impact and loss, compared with chemical and filter-feeding fish methods, the EEFO is currently considered as the most feasible remedial measure to remit the eco-environmental problems at the Three Gorges Dam (TGD).