The Three Gorges Project has changed how water flows between Dongting Lake and the Yangtze River. A study looked at data from 2009 to 2013 to see how the project affected water exchange. The project reduced the amount of water flowing into Dongting Lake from the Yangtze River, but increased the outflow from the lake to the river in September and October. This information is important for managing floods, irrigation, and water distribution in the area.