Research on Regional Characteristics of Urban Temperature Change in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (1980–2025)

Due to the impacts of climate change and human activities, the regional climate of the Three Gorges Reservoir area in China has undergone significant changes, bearing important implications for regional sustainable development. Based on annual average temperature data from 15 cities in the reservoir area from 1980 to 2025, this study employs linear regression and anomaly analysis to systematically analyze the regional characteristics of urban temperature changes and their associations with the construction phases of the Three Gorges Project. The results show that: (1) The annual average temperature in the reservoir area exhibits a significant warming trend, with an overall increase of 1.66 °C (0.36 °C/decade) and a multi-year average temperature of 15.91 °C. (2) All 15 cities in the reservoir area show warming trends, with the downstream section of the reservoir (near the dam) experiencing higher warming rates than the midstream and upstream sections. (3) Divided into three construction phases, the annual average temperature in the reservoir area shows a warming trend in each phase, with warming rates of 0.028 °C/yr, 0.031 °C/yr, and 0.065 °C/yr, respectively, indicating an accelerating trend. Both the warming magnitude and the annual average temperature of the cities in Phase III are generally higher than those in the previous two phases. The findings of this study can provide scientific support for urban climate management and sustainable development in the reservoir area.