Downstream effects

Lakes are a significant part of the global carbon cycle, and are typically considered a source of carbon dioxide. The largest freshwater lake in China, Poyang Lake, is directly on the Yangtze River, downstream of the enormous Three Gorges Dam. Prof. Tim Griffis and LAAS graduate student Ke Xiao collaborated on a study to learn the effects the dam has on the lake’s carbon budget. They found that “Poyang Lake became a CO2 sink since the Three Gorges Dam operation in 2003,” and the CO2 flux is dependent on the lake’s water level. Read the recent publication in Geophysical Research Letters.