Exploratory morphodynamic hindcast of the evolution of the abandoned Yellow River delta, 1578–1855 CE

Abstract

The Abandoned Yellow River Delta (AYD), which formed when the Yellow River flowed into the Southern Yellow Sea between 1128 and 1855 AD, is a representative example of the sensitivity of deltas to modifications in their environments. In this study, we established a process-based morphodynamic model to explore the morphological evolution of one such largescale fine-grained delta (the AYD before 1855). The uncertainties in the model settings, which are inevitable when historical data are insufficient, were assessed together with the corresponding influences on the evolution of the deltaic system by considering a series of scenarios. The results indicate that the strength of local tidal forcing is the key factor that determines the shape and evolutionary trend of the delta. Sediment input discharge and the slope of the initial coastal profile have a considerable effect on the overall size of the delta and the relative ratio between subaerial and subaqueous parts of the delta, respectively. Based on the evaluation of the uncertainties and a comparison with historical maps, the simulated AYD was evaluated to be reliable. Through an analysis of the temporal delta evolution and residual sediment transport, the morphological evolution of the AYD before 1855 AD was investigated. The southern delta grew as the shoals merged with the mainland, which is in agreement with an existing hypothesis (Zhang, 1984), whereas the accretion of the northern delta was independent from the shoals in the northern part. Additionally, suggestions are made regarding the distribution of the AYD at the end of its progradation stage, which provides fundamental information for analyzing subsequent erosion processes since 1855 AD. This study differs from existing studies on the AYD, which are all based on geological approaches. It provides insight into the evolution of the AYD through an alternative means, viz. a process-based morphodynamic-modeling approach.

Building for Nature: Preserving Threatened Bird Habitat in Port Design

“…The Jiangsu coast can be divided into two distinct geomorphological zones: the northern Abandoned Yellow River Delta (AYD) and the fan-shaped Radial Sand Ridges (RSR) in the south (Figure 1b). The AYD is a typical river-wave dominated delta that was formed by the large fine-grained sediment load carried by the Yellow river, until the river shifted its course towards the Bohai sea in 1855 AD [64]. Upon abandonment and continuing until the present, the former delta started to erode.…”

Morphodynamic impacts of large-scale engineering projects in the Yangtze River delta

“…Thus, the model online couples flow and morphology and produces bathymetric change in an up-scaled period. Numerous case studies have demonstrated high capacity of the Delft3D model system on reproducing detailed flow features, sediment dynamics and morphological evolution of coastal and estuarine systems (van der Wegen et al, 2011;Dissanayake et al, 2012;van Maren et al, 2015;Su et al, 2016;Luan et al, 2017).…”

Evaluation of Abandoned Huanghe Delta as an Important Carbon Source for the Chinese Marginal Seas in Recent Decades

“…The AHD is a remarkable example of serious coastal erosion. The AHD was formed when the Huanghe flowed into the South Yellow Sea (SYS) during 1128–1855 CE and was abandoned when the Huanghe completely changed its course in 1855 to meet the Bohai Sea (BS) (Su et al., 2017; Zhou et al., 2014). The sediment yield by coastal erosion from the AHD was estimated to be approximately 700–1,000 Mt/yr (Zhou et al., 2014), comparable to the sediment discharge of the Huanghe and larger than that of the Changjiang before its damming (1,080 and 480 Mt/yr, respectively; Milliman & Meade, 1983).…”