Did streamflow or suspended sediment concentration changes reduce sediment load in the middle reaches of the Yellow River?

Zhang, Jianjun; Zhang, Xiaoping; Li, Rui; Chen, Lili; Lin, Pengfei

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.01.002

Cited by 77 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Z. L. Gao et al () found that generally LUCC in the past 50 years caused a decreasing trend in annual streamflow and a much greater decreasing trend in annual sediment load that consequently resulted in a weakening streamflow–sediment load relationship in seven catchments, and Rustomji et al () illustrated that the mean annual sediment concentration in seven of 11 catchments exhibited a statistically significant decreasing trend over the past 50 years. Wang et al (2016) and J. Zhang, Zhang, Li, Chen, and Lin () used attribution approaches to account for the reduction of sediment load in terms of streamflow and sediment concentration, and their results showed that the streamflow became cleaner both at the catchment scale and in the Yellow River as a whole. On the basis of their annual and daily hydrological data, the relationship of streamflow and sediment load has changed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Wang et al (2016) and J. Zhang, Zhang, Li, Chen, and Lin (2017) used attribution approaches to account for the reduction of sediment load in terms of streamflow and sediment concentration, and their results showed that the streamflow became cleaner both at the catchment scale and in the Yellow River as a whole. On the basis of their annual and daily hydrological data, the relationship of streamflow and sediment load has changed.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Understanding land use and cover change impacts on run‐off and sediment load at flood events on the Loess Plateau, China

Zhang

Lin

Chen

et al. 2018

Hydrological Processes

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The Loess Plateau has been experiencing large‐scale land use and cover changes (LUCCs) over the past 50 years. It is well known about the significant decreasing trend of annual streamflow and sediment load in the catchments in this area. However, how surface run‐off and sediment load behaved in response to LUCC at flood events remained a research question. We investigated 371 flood events from 1963 to 2011 in a typical medium‐sized catchment within the Plateau in order to understand how LUCC affected the surface run‐off generation and sediment load and their behaviours based on the analysis of return periods. The results showed that the mean annual surface run‐off and sediment load from flood events accounted for 49.6% and 91.8% of their mean annual totals. The reduction of surface run‐off and associated sediment yield in floods explained about 85.0% and 89.2% of declines in the total annual streamflow and sediment load, respectively. The occurrences of flood events and peak sediment concentrations greater than 500 kg/m3 showed a significantly downward trend, yet the counterclockwise loop events still dominated the flood event processes in the catchment. The results suggest that LUCC over the past 50 years resulted in significant changes in the water balance components and associated soil erosion and sediment transportation in the catchment. This was achieved mainly by reducing surface run‐off and sediment yield during floods with return period of less than 5 years. Run‐off–sediment load behaviour during the extreme events with greater than 10‐year return periods has not changed. Outcomes from this study are useful in understanding the eco‐hydrological processes and assisting the sustainable catchment management and land use planning on the Loess Plateau, and the methodologies are general and applicable to similar areas worldwide.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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confidence: 99%

Understanding land use and cover change impacts on run‐off and sediment load at flood events on the Loess Plateau, China

Zhang

Lin

Chen

et al. 2018

Hydrological Processes

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“…Revegetation proceeded very slowly in the MYRB during the base stage and the restraining stage. Since the 1998 flood event over the Yangtze River basin, China has launched the “Grain for Green” programme in the Loess Plateau, which converted cropland to forest and grassland to mitigate water and soil loss (Zhang, Zhang, Li, Chen, & Lin, ). According to a study based on Landsat TM images (Liu, ), the area covered by forest and grassland in the sediment source regions of the Yellow River (mostly in the MYRB) increased by 11,255 km 2 from 1978 to 2014, with 82% increase in 30% coverage area and 94% increase in 70% coverage area occurring between 1998 and 2014.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using sediment rating parameters to evaluate the changes in sediment transport regimes in the middle Yellow River basin, China

Zhang

Chen

et al. 2019

Hydrological Processes

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This study analyses the changes in sediment transport regimes in the middle Yellow River basin (MYRB) using sediment rating parameters. Daily streamflow and suspended sediment concentration data were collected at 35 hydrological stations from the 1950s to 2016, which can be divided into three periods based on the type and intensity of human activities: the base stage before 1970, the restraining stage from 1971 to 1989, and the restoration stage after 2002. Data within each period were fitted by log-linear sediment rating curves and the sediment rating parameters were utilized to analyse the spatial and temporal variations in sediment transport regimes. The results show that sediment rating parameters are indicative of sediment transport regimes. In the base stage and the restraining stage, the hydrological stations can be categorized into four groups based on their locations on the rating parameter plot. The stations with small drainage basins were characterized by the highest sediment transport regime, followed by those located in the coarse-particle zone, the loess zone, and the mountainous/forest zone. In the restoration stage, the difference in sediment transport regimes between different geomorphic zones became less distinguishable than in previous stages. During the transition from the base stage to the restraining stage, sediment rating parameters showed no significant changes in sediment transport regimes in all four geomorphic groups. During the transition from the restraining stage to the restoration stage, significant changes were observed in the coarse-particle zone and the mountain/forest zone, indicating that the revegetation programme and large reservoirs imposed a stronger influence on sediment transport regimes in these two zones than in the rest of the MYRB. This study provides theoretical support for evaluating sediment transport regimes with sediment rating parameters.

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“…It is estimated that approximately one-third of the global sediment load to oceans is generated from the large rivers originating from the Tibetan Plateau and its neighboring regions [2]. In recent decades, the sediment regimes of these rivers have attracted increasing attention due to public concerns about climate change and increasing human activities [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. Human activities, such as infrastructure development, soil conservation, and sand excavation, have played an important role in sediment load variations [12][13][14][15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suspended Sediment Transport Responses to Increasing Human Activities in a High-Altitude River: A Case Study in a Typical Sub-Catchment of the Yarlung Tsangpo River

Huang

Lin

Sun

et al. 2020

Water

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The Yarlung Tsangpo River is one of the highest major rivers in the world. The river is known for its pristine landscape. However, in recent years, increasing human activities, such as inhabitation, afforestation, and infrastructure projects, have significantly disturbed this fluvial system, while their impacts are not fully known. In this study, the water and sediment transport processes in the Nugesha–Yangcun (N–Y) reach of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, as well as the impact of human activity, are investigated. The N–Y sub-catchment consists of two parts, i.e., the Lhasa River catchment and the mainstream catchment. Riverine discharge, suspended sediment concentration (SSC), and precipitation data are acquired, and a detailed investigation is conducted. The water yield has not changed considerably in recent years, while the sediment yield has exhibited a sharp decline, from ~5 Mt to ~1 Mt. The sediment decrease is mainly caused by the reduced sediment source, which is considered highly related to afforestation. In addition, the dominant sediment contributor has changed from the mainstream catchment to the tributary catchment (while the sediment yield in the mainstream catchment has decreased to almost zero). An anomalously enhanced SSC occurred in the Lhasa River in two consecutive years from 2015, with the SSC value increasing sharply from 0.2 kg/m3 to 0.8 kg/m3, and maintaining a high level for approximately three months. This phenomenon is considered to be related to infrastructure projects in the same period, with the SSC recovered after road construction ended. The increasing human activities have had significant impacts on the sediment regimes in the Yarlung Tsangpo River; hence, more attention should be paid to river basin management.

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Did streamflow or suspended sediment concentration changes reduce sediment load in the middle reaches of the Yellow River?

Cited by 77 publications

References 39 publications

Understanding land use and cover change impacts on run‐off and sediment load at flood events on the Loess Plateau, China

Understanding land use and cover change impacts on run‐off and sediment load at flood events on the Loess Plateau, China

Using sediment rating parameters to evaluate the changes in sediment transport regimes in the middle Yellow River basin, China

Suspended Sediment Transport Responses to Increasing Human Activities in a High-Altitude River: A Case Study in a Typical Sub-Catchment of the Yarlung Tsangpo River

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