The impacts of land locations, utilization patterns and elevations on soil nitrification intensity in Pengxi water-level-fluctuating zone (WLFZ) during the dry period in the Three Gorges Reservoir area were studied. The results indicate that the nitrification intensity of the WLFZ soil ranges from 0.76 mg/kg·d to 9.76 mg/kg·d, while the intensity averages at (3.76±0.76) mg/kg·d, which is significantly lower than those reported in other domestic researches. The soil nitrification intensity decreases from upstream (Hanfeng lake) to downstream (Huangshi city). In addition, the increase of elevation weakly decreases the nitrification intensity (P >0.05). Moreover, the nitrification intensities of flood lands are 1.82 times of those of cultivated soils (P<0.05). The soil nitrification intensity is significantly positively correlated with the soil pH value(P<0.05) as well as the contents of organic matter and the number of nitrosobacteria (P<0.01). Periodic flooding affects the soil pH and organic matter contents, which leads to the variation of soil nitrification intensity.