Hydrodynamic characteristics of Xiangxi Bay in Three Gorges Reservoir

Based on continuous monitoring in 2008,this paper analyzed the hydrodynamic processes of the Xiangxi Bay(XXB),a tributary of TGR.It showed that the hydrodynamics of the XXB could be generalized as a density-stratified flow,and could not be simply simulated by one-dimension model.The upstream water mainly flowed out of the bay in a process of downslope-bottom density current,meanwhile,the TGR mainstream water entered into the XXB in a reverse density current.The density current of the XXB was mainly caused by the water temperature difference and turbidity difference between the TGR mainstream and the bay,and the former played a dominant role.The intruding depth of the reverse density current depended on the density difference;density current thickness at the plunging point mainly rested on the density difference and the water level;and the distance of the density current entering into the bay lay on the runoff from the upstream,water level and daily water level fluctuation.