Abstract: The massive growth of submerged plants can cause serious harm to the water conservancy functions of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. One such plant is Elodea nuttallii, which is widely spread around the world and has adverse economic and ecological effects on many countries. In 2017 and 2019, Elodea nuttallii caused a disaster in the Danjiangkou-Wangfuzhou riverway in the middle and lower Hanjiang River, severely affecting the power generation, shipping, and water supply of the Wangfuzhou hydropower station. It also posed a threat to flood discharge, regional water quality, and water ecological security. We investigated the spatiotemporal characteristics of Elodea nuttallii growth and analyzed the cause of the disaster and its impact. In line with the requirements of water eco-environmental protection and the growth characteristics of Elodea nuttallii in the Danjiangkou-Wangfuzhou reach, we proposed two physical control methods based on control measures for submerged plants worldwide. The proposed methods involve ecological scheduling and local terrain modification to create an unsuitable terrain and hydrodynamic environment for Elodea nuttallii, thereby fundamentally inhibiting its growth and reproduction.

Key words: Elodea nuttallii, disaster, control measures, ecological scheduling, local terrain modification, hydrodynamic environment, middle and lower Hanjiang River, eco-environmental protection