基于长江口南港多年实测水文泥沙资料,结合泥沙颗粒电镜观测数据,分析近年来尤其是三峡大坝蓄水拦沙后南港河道泥沙特性的变化。结果表明,三峡大坝蓄水拦沙后南港含沙量呈现一定的时间和空间变化规律。总体上,南港上游河道含沙量在三峡大坝蓄水拦沙后的前几年变化不大,从2009年开始显著减少。而南港下游河道含沙量的响应变化并不明显。泥沙再悬浮作用对南港含沙量的贡献较大且相对大坝蓄水拦沙前有所增强。近年来南港上游河道底沙运动活跃,悬沙和底沙的交换作用强烈。同时,近年来南港上游河道水体背景含沙量变小,泥沙颗粒沉速变大,即泥沙粒径变粗,细颗粒泥沙组分变少;而南港下游河道水体背景含沙量、泥沙颗粒组分的变化均不明显。总之,南港河道泥沙特性变化正处于对流域来沙锐减和陆海动力相互作用的调整过程中。
Based on the field observations in the South Channel from 2002 to 2011, as well as the data measured with Scanning Electron Microscope, the characteristics of suspended sediments in the South Channel in recent years were investigated in this paper. The results showed that the behavior of suspended sediments in the South Channel featured spatial and temporal variations. In general, the suspended sediment concentration ( SSC) in upper South Channel showed no obvious changes for several years after the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) started to operate in 2003 but then it has been decreasing since 2009. The SSC in the lower South Channel showed no obvious response to the reduction of river sediment supply as that in 2011. Tidal resuspension contributes to SSC significantly and increases slightly after the closing of the TGD. At present, the bedload in the upper South Channel is active, and the exchange between the bed and the water column is intense. Also, in the upper South Channel, the background SSC decreases and the bulk settling velocity increases, indicating the particle size increases and the fine fraction of suspended sediments decreases, while in the lower South Channel, the background SSC, particle size and fine fraction show no apparent variations as that in 2011. Presumably, the characteristics of suspended sediments in the South Channel are still in the adjustment to the reduction of river sediment supply and the interaction between river and sea.