Analysis of the Changes and Causes of Runoff and Sediment Load in the Middle Reaches of the Yellow River from 1950 to 2022

Huanyong Liu, Yin Chen (), Pengfei Du, Yangui Wang, Ying Zhao and Liqin Qu
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Huanyong Liu: China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, No. 20 Chegongzhuang West Road, Beijing 100048, China
Yin Chen: China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, No. 20 Chegongzhuang West Road, Beijing 100048, China
Pengfei Du: China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, No. 20 Chegongzhuang West Road, Beijing 100048, China
Yangui Wang: China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, No. 20 Chegongzhuang West Road, Beijing 100048, China
Ying Zhao: China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, No. 20 Chegongzhuang West Road, Beijing 100048, China
Liqin Qu: China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, No. 20 Chegongzhuang West Road, Beijing 100048, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-20

Abstract: Frequent soil erosion disasters in the middle reaches of the Yellow River (MRYR) have a profound effect on the sediment load of the river. This paper addresses the intertwined effects of human activities and climate change on river runoff and sediment load. Therefore, runoff and sediment loads from hydrological stations along the main and tributary rivers within the MRYR were used. The Mann–Kendall (M–K) trend test and the double mass curve analysis, among other analytical tools, were used to examine the erosion patterns of these rivers from 1950 to 2022, as well as the main factors driving these changes. The results showed that the runoff depth of the Yan River tended to decrease, and there was a significant decrease in the mainstream and nine other tributaries, with a significant decrease in the sediment transport modulus for both the mainstream and tributaries. In the main river, human activities contributed between 69.99% and 94.69% to the runoff and between 88.52% and 98.49% to the sediment load, while in the tributaries, the contribution of human activities was greater. The annual runoff and annual sediment load in the MRYR showed a decreasing trend, with a discernible impact of human activities. The results of this research are of great significance for erosion control and the restoration of the ecological balance in the Yellow River Basin.

Keywords: middle reaches of the Yellow River; runoff; sediment load; contribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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