Current status and reflections on Changjiang River flood control

To meet the demands for flood security assurance aligned with the high-quality economic and social development in the new era, clarify the current status and shortcomings of the flood control system in the Changjiang River Basin, and provide a basis for optimizing subsequent flood control system construction and formulating real-time flood control strategies, this study systematically reviews the current flood control engineering system, including embankments, reservoirs, river channel regulation, flood storage and detention areas, and embanked floodplains, as well as the non-engineering system comprising hydrometric networks, hydrological monitoring, flood forecasting, flood operation, and laws and regulations. It elaborates on the flood control capacities of the Changjiang River main stem, major tributaries, and key cities. Furthermore, it analyzes the gaps between the current flood control system and the actual requirements from aspects such as deficiencies in flood control engineering, inadequacies in the hydrometric monitoring and forecasting system, and weaknesses in flood management. The research confirms that the Changjiang River Basin has established a flood control engineering system "centered on levees, anchored by the Three Gorges Project, and supplemented by reservoirs on other main and tributary rivers, flood detention areas, and river channel improvements", along with a coordinated non-engineering system integrating "Monitoring-Forecasting-Early Warning-Operation-Regulations", leading to differentiated improvements in flood control capabilities across different regions. Concurrently, core issues are identified, including the generally weak foundation of tributary levees, lagging construction of flood storage and detention areas, unstable river regimes in certain reaches, flood forecasting levels not fully meeting requirements, and the need to enhance the scientific level of reservoir flood operation. Finally, recommendations are proposed, including continuously advancing flood control engineering construction, such as prioritizing the completion of key flood storage and detention areas and promoting the compliance of key levees and bank protection works; improving non-engineering measures, such as building an integrated monitoring network and enhancing forecasting accuracy and decision-making intelligence; and optimizing strategies for coping with exceedance-level floods, such as tapping the potential of river channel discharge capacity and allowing moderate reservoir surcharge. The research findings can provide direction for building a Changjiang River flood control system adapted to high-quality development in the new era and comprehensively enhancing flood security assurance capabilities.