Quantitative assessment of check dam system impacts on catchment flood characteristics – a case in hilly and gully area of the Loess Plateau, China

Tian Wang, Jingming Hou (), Peng Li, Jiaheng Zhao, Zhanbin Li, Elena Matta, Liping Ma and Reinhard Hinkelmann
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Tian Wang: Xi’an University of Technology
Jingming Hou: Xi’an University of Technology
Peng Li: Xi’an University of Technology
Jiaheng Zhao: Technische Universität Berlin
Zhanbin Li: Xi’an University of Technology
Elena Matta: Technische Universität Berlin
Liping Ma: Xi’an University of Technology
Reinhard Hinkelmann: Technische Universität Berlin

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, 2021, vol. 105, issue 3, No 31, 3059-3077

Abstract: Abstract The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of check dams on catchment hydrological response in a small catchment on the hilly and gully area of Chinese Loess Plateau by applying a numerical model at 2 m resolution DEM. The results showed that check dams significantly increase the so-called runoff lag times (lag to generation, lag to peak and lag to end of runoff) at the channel outlet compared to catchments without check dams. Furthermore, the peak runoff discharge at the catchment outlet without check dams decreased by 93.0% compared to with check dams. The total outlet discharge, surface water stored, and infiltration were, respectively, 20.1%, 74.9% and 5.0% of the total precipitation in the check dam catchment, while 75.4%, 22.6% and 2.0% in the system without check dams. Installation of check dams also altered the spatial water distribution of maximum discharge, moving the occurrences of maximum discharge further upstream and, thus, increasing safety downstream. In conclusion, implementing check dams significantly and effectively mitigated flood processes and increased runoff infiltration upstream.

Keywords: Numerical modeling; Quantitative assessment; Check dam; Flood characteristics; Hilly and gully area; Loess plateau (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11069-020-04441-7

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