Journal Article

Simulation and validation of hydrodynamics and sediment deposition during sluice construction in the Jiao (Ling) river

HE Huaijie, SHAN Weiguo, OUYANG Li, ZHANG Peng

2026

Overview

【Background and Objective】Estuarine sluices are widely used for flood control and water management, but their construction can significantly alter tidal dynamics and sediment transport, leading to downstream siltation, which affects navigation, ecology and flood safety. Understanding these processes is critical for sustainable management of tidal rivers. This paper investigates the impact of the Baxianyan sluice on tidal dynamics and downstream siltation in the Jiao (Ling) River estuary. 【Method】We used numerical simulation and physical modeling to systematically analyze hydrodynamic and sedimentary responses, as well as the spatial patterns of siltation after sluice construction The numerical model simulated the changes in tidal flux, flow velocities and sediment transport, while the physical model reproduced the morphological evolution under controlled laboratory conditions.【Result】In the near-field zone (within 10 km), the sluice reduced the high-and low-tide volumes by more than 30%, and the flow velocity by 75%-90%, accompanied by a synchronous attenuation of sediment concentration. In the mid-to-far zone (10-40 km), tidal currents gradually recovered, and sediment transport exhibited an ‘upstream migration from downstream’ pattern, reflecting a dynamic cycle of ‘tidal energy attenuation-sediment trapping- resuspension’ During dry years, sediment deposition evolved in four stages: ‘rapid initial accumulation-progressive balance-downstream migration-distal stabilization’ Five years after the sluice construction, total siltation asymptotically reached 23 million m3. The numerical model accurately captured the longitudinal gradients and lateral heterogeneity of the sediment deposition, while the physical model accurately reproduced the large-scale morphological changes, both showing that tidal energy attenuation, channel widening, and restructuring of estuarine hydrodynamics were the primary drivers of downstream siltation.【Conclusion】Our results demonstrate that the combination of numerical and physical models are robust for predicting and analyzing siltation processes in estuarine sluice projects. The identified ‘tidal energy attenuation-channel widening-hydrodynamic reconstruction’ mechanism can help improve sediment management in tidal estuarine engineering constructions.

• Publisher: Science Press
• Subject: tidal flux variation; sediment concentration; sediment deposition pattern; numerical simulation