*2.2.5.2 Wetlands*

Reservoir removal will change the hydrological state of surface water and groundwater as well as the law of river sediment transport, thus leading to a variety of changes in upstream and downstream riverside wetlands. The type and scale of this impact vary from place to place.

The changes of surface and groundwater hydrological state are the main influencing factors of upstream wetlands after dam removal. Some of these influences are seasonal, while others are long-term. For the downstream wetlands, the law of sediment transport and the change of groundwater hydrological state are the main influencing factors. Reservoir removal causes silt deposition in the lower reaches of the river, which may lead to the invasion of wetland plants in the silt area, thus forming a new wetland habitat.
