Groundwater storage trends in the Loess Plateau of China estimated from streamflow records

Gao, Zhifeng; Zhang, Lu; Cheng, Lei; Zhang, Xiaoping; Cowan, Tim; Cai, Wenju; Brutsaert, Wilfried

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2015.09.063

Cited by 74 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 48 publications

(70 reference statements)

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“…For instance, some deep‐rooted plants such as alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.), Caragana korshinskii Kom., and Robinia sp. can grow well in the CLP due to water supply from the deep vadose zone; vadose zone water, being a main source of groundwater recharge, can deeply affect the water cycle in the CLP (Gao et al, 2015; Li et al, 2017). We also evaluated the current water status in the vadose zone of the CLP.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is a potential and precious water source for some deeply rooted plants (e.g., forest and shrub vegetation), especially as the upper soil water is largely consumed (Li et al, 2008; Liu et al, 2010; Cheng et al, 2014; Wang et al, 2015). Also, it can buffer water resources (storing precipitation) and thus become a primary source of recharge to the deep soil water and groundwater (Huang and Gallichand, 2006; Gao et al, 2015; Li et al, 2017), impacting base flow to rivers and discharge of the rivers into the Yellow River, which has reportedly decreased in recent decades (Li et al, 2016; Wang et al, 2016). A few efforts have been made to quantify vadose zone water at various scales in the CLP (Li and Huang, 2008; Chen et al, 2010; Wang et al, 2011, 2015; Jian et al, 2015; Jia et al, 2017).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Capacity and Distribution of Water Stored in the Vadose Zone of the Chinese Loess Plateau

Zhu

Jia

Qiao

et al. 2019

Vadose Zone Journal

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Vadose zone water is up to 3.1 × 1012 m3 in the Chinese Loess Plateau. The deep vadose zone (below 5 m) stores 92.4% of the total vadose zone water. Vadose zone water distribution is uneven, depending on loess thickness and precipitation. Vadose zone water accounts for 42.1% of water resources in the Chinese Loess Plateau. Water stored in the vadose (unsaturated) zone provides the majority of water required by plants and buffers water resources; thus, it is central to understanding ecological and hydrological processes in the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) with its thick loess deposits. We used multisource data on soil water content (SWC) and vadose zone thickness, combined with a spatial interpolation method, to quantify the vadose zone water and further deduce the water resource composition in the CLP. Vadose zone water is approximately 3.1 × 1012 m3 (±27.5%) in the CLP, 92.4% of which is stored in the deep vadose zone (>5 m and above the groundwater table). The water resources composition of the CLP comprises precipitation, river water, vadose zone water, and the saturated zone water (shallow groundwater), accounting for 2.1, 0.1, 42.1, and 55.7%, respectively. Although a large amount of water exists in the vadose zone, the SWCs in the upper (<5 m) and deep vadose zones are 47.4 and 65.3%, respectively, of the mean field capacity, both being at a low level. Our findings bridge the knowledge gaps on the deep vadose zone water and water resources composition in the CLP, providing the basis for decision‐making on balancing revegetation and water resources conservation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Capacity and Distribution of Water Stored in the Vadose Zone of the Chinese Loess Plateau

Zhu

Jia

Qiao

et al. 2019

Vadose Zone Journal

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“…Few studies have focused on low flow, which is mainly maintained by the discharge of groundwater in a rainless or dry period (Gao et al, 2015;Yu et al, 2018). Exploring the relationship between low flow characteristics and groundwater is of great significance for the effective allocation of water resources and decisionmaking regarding water resource dispatch in droughty regions or regions with a rapid population increase (Sánchez-Murillo, Brooks, Elliot, Gazel, & Boll, 2015).…”

Section: Woodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of basin storage–discharge sensitivity in Taiwan using low‐flow recession analysis

Yeh

Huang

2019

Hydrological Processes

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Sensitivity analysis of the hydrological behaviour of basins has mainly focused on the correlation between streamflow and climate, ignoring the uncertainty of future climate and not utilizing complex hydrological models. However, groundwater storage is affected by climatic change and human activities. The streamflow of many basins is primarily sourced from the natural discharge of aquifers in upstream regions. The correlation between streamflow and groundwater storage has not been thoroughly discussed. In this study, the storage–discharge sensitivity of 22 basins in Taiwan was investigated by means of daily streamflow and rainfall data obtained over more than 30 years. The relationship between storage and discharge variance was evaluated using low‐flow recession analysis and a water balance equation that ignores the influence of rainfall and evapotranspiration. Based on the obtained storage–discharge sensitivity, this study explored whether the water storage and discharge behaviour of the studied basins is susceptible to climate change or human activities and discusses the regional differences in storage–discharge sensitivity. The results showed that the average storage–discharge sensitivities were 0.056 and 0.162 mm−1 in the northern and southern regions of Taiwan, respectively. In the central and eastern regions, the values were both 0.020 mm−1. The storage–discharge sensitivity was very high in the southern region. The regional differences in storage–discharge sensitivity with similar climate conditions are primarily due to differences in aquifer properties. Based on the recession curve, other factors responsible for these differences include land utilization, land coverage, and rainfall patterns during dry and wet seasons. These factors lead to differences in groundwater recharge and thus to regional differences in storage–discharge sensitivity.

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“…Many regions in the world have had recent changes in streamflow regime (e.g., Ahiablame et al, 2017;Bard et al, 2015;Bennett et al, 2015;Chen et al, 2014;Do et al, 2017;Foufoula-Georgiou et al, 2015;Gao et al, 2015;Genta et al, 1998;Kormann et al, 2015;Li et al, 2017;Lorenzo-Lacruz et al, 2012;Rice et al, 2015). In Brazil, during the last century, several changes have been associated with climatic variability (Collischonn et al, 2001;Panday et al, 2015;Salazar et al, 2015), intensive land cover changes (Costa et al, 2003;Latrubesse et al, 2009;Spera et al, 2016), or the construction of large reservoirs for hydroelectric power generation (Clarke, 2007;Stevaux et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Land Cover in the Propagation of Rainfall Into Streamflow Trends

Chagas

Chaffe

2018

Water Resources Research

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The replacement of natural forests with agriculture is generally associated with modifications in the hydrological behavior of a basin. This is particularly notable in the tropics and subtropics. Southern Brazil is a region with extensive agricultural production, forest conservation, and a vast unexplored streamflow data despite substantial rainfall trends observed in recent decades. In this work, we explore trends in the streamflow regime in the majority of the monitored basins in Southern Brazil. Additionally, we evaluate if pristine forested basins and agricultural nonforested basins have significantly different streamflow responses to changes in rainfall. We analyzed annual averages, maxima, minima, and seasonality of a 36‐year data set (1975–2010) of 675 rainfall and 140 streamflow gauges. Results reveal that large trends are widespread in Southern Brazil, especially in basins with areas smaller than 10,000 km2. Changes in the rainfall regime did not directly translate into changes in the streamflow regime. Changes in the annual maximum flow of forested basins were not statistically significant even when the annual average and maximum rainfall increased significantly. Correlations between changes in rainfall and streamflow for two indices, namely, duration of low‐magnitude events and seasonality, were statistically significant (p < 0.05) only for agricultural basins. The results indicate a higher propagation of hydrological changes through anthropogenically modified systems, providing evidence that agricultural basins are more sensitive to changes in the rainfall regime.

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Groundwater storage trends in the Loess Plateau of China estimated from streamflow records

Cited by 74 publications

References 48 publications

Capacity and Distribution of Water Stored in the Vadose Zone of the Chinese Loess Plateau

Capacity and Distribution of Water Stored in the Vadose Zone of the Chinese Loess Plateau

Evaluation of basin storage–discharge sensitivity in Taiwan using low‐flow recession analysis

The Role of Land Cover in the Propagation of Rainfall Into Streamflow Trends

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