Abstract: Soil nutrients are fundamental to plant growth and serve as critical determinants of vegetation restoration and ecosystem resilience, particularly in disturbed riparian zones. The Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in China, one of the world’s largest hydroelectric projects, experiences substantial seasonal water level fluctuations between 145 m and 175 m above sea level, creating a unique riparian zone that is periodically submerged and exposed. This alternating wet-dry cycle profoundly alters soil physicochemical properties and nutrient dynamics, yet the spatial distribution patterns of soil nutrients in this zone and their driving factors remain inadequately quantified. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic field investigation and laboratory analysis to examine the interactive effects of elevation gradient and land-use type on soil pH and 15 nutrient parameters (organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, and vanadium) in the Meixi River riparian zone of the TGR. A stratified sampling design was employed across four elevation intervals: <160 m, 160～<170 m, 170～175 m (periodically flooded), and >175 m (non-flooded control, representing natural upland soils). Within each elevation, three typical land-use types were selected—artificially restored forestland, naturally restored grassland, and cultivated farmland—with three replicate plots per combination. Soil samples were collected from three depths (0～10 cm, >10～20 cm, and >20～40 cm) using a soil auger. Standard physicochemical methods were applied, including potassium dichromate oxidation for organic matter, Kjeldahl digestion for total nitrogen, Mo-Sb colorimetry for total phosphorus, flame photometry for total potassium, alkaline hydrolysis for available nitrogen, Olsen or Bray extraction for available phosphorus, and ICP-OES for exchangeable cations and trace elements. Two-way ANOVA and multivariate statistical analyses were performed to test the significance of main effects and interactions. Our results revealed three principal findings. 1) the interaction between elevation and land-use type significantly affected soil available nitrogen, boron, and vanadium contents (P < 0.05), indicating that these parameters are co-regulated by hydrological regime and anthropogenic activities. Although the interaction explained substantial variance in organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and iron, the effects did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05), suggesting that these nutrients respond more independently to each factor. 2) elevation exerted a significant independent effect (P < 0.05) on soil pH and multiple nutrients across all soil layers. Compared with the non-flooded control (>175 m), the periodically flooded zones (particularly <160 m) exhibited markedly higher pH values and elevated contents of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, calcium, and vanadium. This pattern reflects the deposition of suspended sediments enriched with fine particles and organic matter during flooding, combined with reduced leaching losses under anaerobic conditions. The lower the elevation, the longer the submergence duration and the more pronounced the nutrient accumulation, implying that the drawdown zone functions as a nutrient sink during inundation but may release nutrients upon exposure. 3) land-use type significantly modulated nutrient distribution patterns. Naturally restored grassland promoted nutrient accumulation in the surface 0～10 cm layer, likely due to dense root systems and litter input that enhance surface organic matter turnover. In contrast, artificially restored forestland facilitated nutrient storage in the deeper >20～40 cm layer, attributed to deeper root penetration and higher belowground biomass allocation. Cultivated farmland, however, consistently showed the lowest nutrient contents among all types, largely because of frequent tillage, crop removal, and fertilizer runoff, indicating stronger anthropogenic disturbance. These divergent responses highlight the need for site-specific management strategies. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that both elevation-driven hydrological alternation and land-use practices jointly shape the spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients in the TGR drawdown zone. The periodic flooding not only raises soil pH and enriches certain nutrients but also interacts with vegetation cover and farming history to produce complex vertical profiles. For ecosystem restoration, we recommend prioritizing natural grassland regeneration in lower elevations to rapidly rebuild surface nutrient pools, while employing artificial forestation in middle-upper zones to enhance deep-soil nutrient cycling. Agricultural activities should be strictly regulated or converted to low-impact uses in the most frequently flooded areas to minimize nutrient loss and non-point source pollution. This study provides a scientific basis for adaptive management of riparian soils under large-scale reservoir operations and offers reference data for similar hydro-fluctuation zones worldwide.