Attempt has been made to discuss the coupling relation of neotectonism and paleoclimate that have played a critical role in controlling the Quaternary sediment distribu-tion and sedimentary facies evolution on the Yangtze coast. On the basis of petrological analysis, up to six sedimentary cyclicities have been identified in the Quaternary sediment boreholes on the time scale of 0.4―0.5 Ma. The lower sedi-mentary cyclicities (Pliocene to Early Pleistocene) are char-acterized largely by thicker gravelly coarse sands, topped by thinner fine silt and silty clay. Gravels are very angular and clayey gravels prevail. Sediments are usually of poor sorting, rich in log fragments and have no microfossils. Bedload as denoted by C-M plot occurs throughout the section. This evidence represents the alluvial fan sedimentation which took place as the basin began to subside. The middle sedimentary cyclicities (often including Early to Middle Pleistocene) con-sist of basal gravelly sands and clayey silt at the middle and upper sediment sections. Sorting becomes relatively better, and foraminifer appears sporadically. C-M plot reveals the mixture of sediment transport media via bedload, saltation and suspension, representing sedimentation of braided river system at the early stage and subsequently, the sedimentation of meandering river pattern. The upper sedimentary cyclic-ities (including Late Pleistocene to Holocene) comprise basal gravelly sands (exclusive of the Holocene sediment) and thick fine sand and silty clay on the upper section. Sorting becomes fine and foraminifer appears throughout the sediment sec-tion. C-M plot shows that saltation and suspension serve as the main sediment transport media in the sediment section and bedload transport weakens. These evidence the sedi-mentation of meandering river pattern near coast during Late Pleistocene and Holocene time, when marine transgres-sion invaded into the paleoriver valleys, which often forms drowned-valley facies and shallow marine facies. Of note is the Recent delta f
WANG ZhangjiaoCHEN ZhongyuanWEI ZixinWANG ZhanghuaWEI Taoyuan
In late May and early June, 2002, a field inves- tigation was conducted along the Three-Gorges valley of the upper Yangtze catchment by ADP (Acoustic Doppler Profile SONTEK-500). Data obtained when surveying were accom- panied with discharge of <15000 m3/s in the valley and char- acterize the unique river-flow velocity profile and riverbed morphology. Taking into consideration the relationship be- tween the average flow velocity and fluvial variables, four distinct river sections can be highlighted, i.e. Chongqing- Wanxian, Wanxian-Fengjie, Fengjie-Zigui and Gezhou res- ervoir area (upstream to downstream). The average flow velocity is in-phase with river width from Chongqing to Wanxian. High-flow velocity ranging from 3.0 to 4.0 m/s is recorded at many sites, where the wider river channel (>1000 m) and shallower water depth (<20 m) occur and large-size gravel shoals prevail. Alternated low-flow velocity (<1.5 m/s) appears at those river sections with deep water (>50 m) and U-shaped river-channel morphology. Mapping the river cross-section area at those sites can determine that smaller cross-section area accelerates the flow velocity. From Wanxian to Fengjie, the average flow velocity ranging from 3.0 to 4.5 m/s is in-phase with the water depth. The high-flow velocity is associated with narrower river-channel, where V-shaped gorges valley occurs with small cross-section area. Further downstream from Fengjie to Zigui, the low flow ve- locity is linked to deep river channel characterized by W-shaped valley morphology of large cross-section area, in general. The average flow velocity is 2.5―3.5 m/s, and maxi- mum can reach 6.0 m/s near Wu-Gorge. Our survey had also detected a slow-flow velocity (mostly <1.0 m/s) in the river channel of about 100 km long in the Gezhou reservoir downstream. Heavy siltation to 20 m thick above the former riverbed and about 20 km extending upstream from the Dam site occurs above Gezhou Dam. The backwater can reach 150 km due to elevated water level to 27 m by the damming at the end of
