Current situation and new requirements for safeguarding water quality in the Three Gorges Reservoir

Liu Xiaobo; Wu Leixiang; Huang Yuling

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1000-1123.2024.22.014

Abstract：The Three Gorges Reservoir is currently the largest strategic reserve of freshwater resources in China.Therefore safeguarding water quality plays a key role in the long-term and stable operation of the reservoir.Since the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir,water quality protection mechanism in the reservoir area has been put into normal operation,with various measures for water environment protection.Water quality of the mainstream in the reservoir area has remained stable and improved.Pollution control within the reservoir area have seen a remarkable result.However,challenges are remained,such as lacking of assessment standards for eutrophication and algal blooms,frequent happening of eutrophication and algal blooms in the tributaries of the Yangtze River,agricultural non-point source pollution in the reservoir area,and inefficient sewage collection and treatment in the local towns and villages.The new development stage puts forward new requirements for the safety management of the Three Gorges Project.In order to ensure the long-term safe operation of the Three Gorges Project and continuously exert comprehensive benefits,it needs to strengthen research on standard system for water quality assessment,application of new monitoring and perception technologies,comprehensive prevention and control of eutrophication and algal blooms in tributaries,new technology research and development for controlling point and non-point source pollution in the reservoir area,improve water quality management system and mechanism,so as to provide support for the long-term and safe operation and benefit generation of the Three Gorges Project,and high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.