Sand mining impact on Poyang Lake: a case study based on high-resolution bathymetry and sub-bottom data -- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,2022,40(4):1404-1416

	Cite this paper:
	Shuwei ZHENG, Heqin CHENG, Ming TANG, Wei XU, Enfeng LIU, Shu GAO, Jim BEST, Yuehua JIANG, Quanping ZHOU. Sand mining impact on Poyang Lake: a case study based on high-resolution bathymetry and sub-bottom data[J]. Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 2022, 40(4): 1404-1416

Sand mining impact on Poyang Lake: a case study based on high-resolution bathymetry and sub-bottom data

Shuwei ZHENG^1,2, Heqin CHENG², Ming TANG², Wei XU², Enfeng LIU¹, Shu GAO², Jim BEST³, Yuehua JIANG⁴, Quanping ZHOU⁴

1 College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China;
2 State Key Lab of Estuarine&Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China;
3 Departments of Geology, Geography and GIS, Mechanical Science and Engineering and Ven Te Chow Hydrosystems Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61801, USA;
4 Nanjing Geological Survey Center, China Geological Survey, Nanjing 210016, China

Abstract:

Poyang Lake in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River catchment has undergone frequent spring drought since 2003, and some researchers attributed this phenomenon to sand mining and the lakebed deformation in the outlet channel linking the lake with Changjiang River main channel. However, there is still a lack of high-resolution subaqueous geomorphological evidence of how sand mining led to lakebed deformation in the outlet channel. We examined the bed morphology and sub-bottom sedimentary structure of the outlet channel, using a multibeam echo sounder and sub-bottom profiler in Poyang Lake. We found that:(1) the subaqueous micro-topography types of the outlet channel are characterized by sand mining disturbance, natural erosional topography, and flat bed and dunes, accounting for 44.9%, 21.4%, 28.6%, and 5.1% of the channel area, respectively; and (2) sand mining activity affects the local bed topography extensively and significantly. The depth of sandpits caused by sand mining varied from 1.4 m to 12 m deeper than the surrounding bed surface, with 4.41 m of depth increase on average. Hence, the large-scale highintensity sand mining activities and their significant geomorphic effects demand for an improved assessment for future management and longer-term sustainability. Because of the large-scale and ongoing high-intensity sand mining activities in the Poyang Lake outlet channel, these effects should raise caution in the future and contribute to monitoring efforts that are essential to implement sustainable management solutions. The present study and techniques implemented can serve as a scientific reference for dam construction and sand mining within the Poyang Lake basin.

Key words: lakebed deformation|sand mining|multibeam echo sounder|Poyang Lake

Received: 2021-04-28 Revised:

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Articles by Shuwei ZHENG

Articles by Heqin CHENG

Articles by Ming TANG

Articles by Wei XU

Articles by Enfeng LIU

Articles by Shu GAO

Articles by Jim BEST

Articles by Yuehua JIANG

Articles by Quanping ZHOU

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