Abstract
Due to the implementation of many regulation projects in the upper
Yangtze River, the vessel transit capacity has been improved visibly.
The trend of large-scale ships becomes more obvious, leading to an
increase of the traffic flow and underwater noise density in the upper
Yangtze River, which has significant influence on the habitat of many
aquatic animals, especially for the endemic fish. Thus, it is crucial to
accurately assess the ship underwater noise conditions for the
ecological protection in the upper Yangtze River. In this study, the
underwater noise from different types of ships under the normal
operating conditions in the Chaotianmen-Fuling section has been
monitored using the underwater noise tracking and monitoring system. The
results indicate that the frequency of underwater radiation noise from
ships is concentrated in the range of 200Hz~1300Hz, and
the sound pressure level is distributed in the range of
148.50dB~172.86dB, and the underwater radiation noise
energy is concentrated in the low frequency part. The sound pressure
level of underwater radiation noise from ships is proportional to the
ship speed and ship tonnage. The research results can provide
theoretical support for the subsequent research on the underwater noise
distribution in such waterways as well as the ecological route
selection.