A study looked at how the shrinking of Dongting Lake affects flooding. By using a hydrodynamic model, researchers found that as the lake shrinks, water levels and peak discharge increase, and floods happen earlier. If the lake shrinks from 2,670 km2 to 1,380 km2 during a 1996-type flood, water levels in different parts of the lake would rise significantly. The peak water level at Chenglingji station would arrive 11 hours earlier, and peak discharge would increase by 4,300 m3/s. This means that flooding in the Dongting Lake area would be more severe if the lake continues to shrink. The water surface slope changes slightly in some parts of the lake, but increases near Lujiao station due to the combined effects of lake shrinkage and water levels in the Yangtze River.