GRACE-based estimates of water discharge over the Yellow River basin

As critical component of hydrologic cycle, basin discharge is a key issue for understanding the hydrological and climatologic related to water and energy cycles. Combining GRACE gravity field models with ET from GLDAS models and precipitation from GPCP, discharge of the Yellow River basin are estimated from the water balance equation. While comparing the results with discharge from GLDAS model and in situ measurements, the results reveal that discharge from Mosaic and CLM GLDAS model can partially represent the river discharge and the discharge estimation from water balance equation could reflect the discharge from precipitation over the Yellow River basin.

Water discharge variability of Changjiang(Yangtze) and Huanghe(Yellow) Rivers and its response to climatic changes

Influences of large-scale climatic phenomena, such as the E1Nifio/La Nifia-Southem Oscillation （ENSO） and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation （PDO）, on the temporal variations of the annual water discharge at the Lijin station in the Huanghe （Yellow） River and at the Datong station in the Changjiang （Yangtze） River were examined. Using the empirical mode decomposition-maximum entropy spectral analysis （EMD- MESA） method, the 2- to 3-year, 8- to 14-year, and 23-year cyclical variations of the annual water discharge at the two stations were discovered. Based on the analysis results, the hydrological time series on the inter- annual to interdecadal scales were constructed. The results indicate that from 1950 to 2011, a significant downward trend occurred in the natural annual water discharge in Huanghe River. However, the changes in water discharge in Changjiang River basin exhibited a slightly upward trend. It indicated that the changes in the river discharge in the Huanghe basin were driven primarily by precipitation. Other factors, such as the precipitation over the Changjiang River tributaries, ice melt and evaporation contributed much more to the increase in the Changjiang River basin. Especially, the impacts of the inter-annual and inter-decadal climate oscillations such as ENSO and PDO could change the long-term patterns of precipitation over the basins of the two major rivers. Generally, low amounts of basin-wide precipitation on interannual to interdecadal scales over the two rivers corresponded to most of the warm ENSO events and the warm phases of the PDO, and vice versa. The positive phases of the PDO and ENSO could lead to reduced precipitation and consequently affect the long-term scale water discharges at the two rivers.

Response of the distributary channel of the Huanghe River estuary to water and sediment discharge regulation in 2007

The water and sediment discharge regulation （WSDR） project, which has been performed since 2002 before flood season every year, is of great significance to the river management in China. Until 2007, six experiments have been fulfilled to evaluate the effect of the project on the natural environment. To fill the gap of investigations, a study on flood and suspended sediment transportation and channel changing along the distributary channel of the Huanghe （Yellow） River was conducted during the WSDR project period in 2007. The lower channel was scoured rapidly and the channel became unobstructed gradually several days after the flood peak water was discharged from the Xiaolangdi Reservoir. Within four days after the flood peak at 3 000 m3/s entered the distributary, the channel in the river mouth area was eroded quickly. Both the mean values of area and depth of the main channel were tripled, and the maximum flood carrying capacity increased to 5 500 m3/s or more. Then, the river channel was silted anew in a very short time after completion of the WSDR. Favored by the WSDR project, the fiver status in April 2008 became better than that of the year before. The adjustment ranges of main channel parameters were about 30%, 10%, and 10% at sections C2, Q4, and Q7, respectively. The process of rapid erosion-deposition was more active 15 km away in the channel from the fiver mouth due to the marine influence. It is reasonable for discharging sediment at concentration peak from Xiaolangdi Reservoir at the end of the flood peak. As a result, the sediment peak reached the river mouth about two days later than that of the water current. In addition, the WSDR project has improved the development of the estuarine wetland. Wetland vegetation planted along the river banks restrained the water flow as a strainer and improved the main channel stability. It is suggested to draw water at mean rate of 150 m3/s from the Huanghe River during flood periods, because at the rate the water in the wetland would be stored and replenished in balance. Moreover, we believe that cropland on the river shoal of the lower Huanghe River should be replaced by wetland. These activities should achieve the Huanghe River management strategy of ＂To concentrate flow to scour sediment, stabilize the main channel, and regulate water and sediment＂.

Changes in River Cross-section Morphology and Response to Streamflow and Sediment Processes in Middle Reaches of Yellow River,China

Changes in river cross-section morphology have decisive influences on the flood discharge and sand transport capacity of rivers;thus,these changes strongly reflect the vitality of a river.In this paper,based on the river cross-section and water and sediment data of two different periods(1974−1987 and 2007−2021),the trend analysis,change-point analysis and sediment rating curve method were used to analyze the change process of river cross-section morphology and its response to streamflow and sediment changes in the main river stream of the Yellow River at the Longmen hydrological station.From 1974 to 1987(except in 1977),the riverbed experi-enced siltation,and the riverbed elevation rose.Conversely,from 2007 to 2021,the riverbed experienced scouring,and the riverbed el-evation gradually decreased.The cross-section shape changed from rectangular to U-shaped(deeper on the right side)at the Longmen cross-section.The changes in streamflow and sediment processes significantly impacted the evolution of river cross-section.Stream-flow(P<0.05),sediment discharge(P<0.01),and the sediment load coefficients(P<0.01)decreased significantly.The relationship between the water depth and sediment load coefficients followed a power function.The decreasing trend in sediment discharge was sig-nificantly stronger than that in streamflow.Suspended sediment particles tended to become finer.The sediment rating curve indicates that the sediment supply from upstream decreased while the erosive power in the river channel increased,leading to a gradual decline in riverbed elevation at the Longmen cross-section from 2007 to 2021.These findings help us better understand the impacts of ecological restoration on changes in river streamflow and sediment during river evolution.

Response of delta sedimentary system to variation of water and sediment in the Yellow River over past six decades

In order to find out the variation process of water-sediment and its effect on the Yellow River Delta, the water discharge and sediment load at Lijin from 1950 to 2007 and the decrease of water discharge and sediment load in the Yellow River Basin caused by human disturbances were analyzed by means of statistics. It was shown that the water discharge and sediment load into the sea were decreasing from 1950 to 2007 with serious fluctuation. The human activities were the main cause for decrease of water discharge and sediment load into the sea. From 1950 to 2005, the average annual reduction of water discharge and sediment load by means of water-soil conservation practices were 2.02×10^9 m^3 and 3.41×10^8 t respectively, and the average annual volume by water abstraction for industry and agriculture were 2.52×10^10 m^3 and 2.42×10^8 t respectively. The average sediment trapped by Sanmenxia Reservoir was 1.45×10^8 t from 1960 to 2007, and the average sediment retention of Xiaolangdi Reservoir was 2.398×10^8t from 1997 to 2007. Compared to the data records at Huanyuankou, the water discharge and sediment load into the sea decreased with siltation in the lower reaches and increased with scouring in the lower reaches. The coastline near river mouth extended and the delta area increased when the ratio of accumulative sediment load and accumulative water discharge into the sea （SSCT） is 25.4-26.0 kg/m^3 in different time periods. However, the sharp decrease of water discharge and sediment load into the sea in recent years, especially the Yellow River into the sea at Qing 8, the entire Yellow River Delta has turned into erosion from siltation, and the time for a reversal of the state was about 1997.

Healthy Yellow River’s essence and indicators

River＇s healthy life is a description of their living conditions, and it is also a comprehensive assessment of river＇s functions and relations with the human society. Through analyzing the demands of human being and river ecosystem, the continuous flow, safe river channel for water and sediment transportation, good water quality, sustainable river ecosystem and water supply capacity are regarded as symbols of the healthy Yellow River. Minimum flow, maximum flood discharging capacity, bank-full discharge, transverse slope of floodplain, water quality degree, wetlands area, aquatic ecosystem, and water supply capacity, altogether eight quantitative indicators are set as symbols of healthy Yellow River, and their corresponding standards are determined based on the analysis with historical hydrological data and observed data of 1956-2004.

Using Rn-222 to Study Human-Regulated River Water-Sediment Input Event in the Estuary

The implementation of the water sediment regulation scheme(WSRS)is a typical example of artificially controlling land-source input.During WSRS,the water discharge of the Yellow River will increase significantly,and so will the input of terri-genous materials.In this study,we used a natural geochemical tracer 222Rn to quantify terrestrial inputs under the influence of the 2014 WSRS in the Yellow River Estuary.The results indicated that during WSRS the concentration of 222Rn in the estuary increased by about four times than in the period before WSRS.The high-level 222Rn plume disappeared quickly after WSRS,indicating that 222Rn has a very short‘memory effect’in the estuary.Based on the investigation conducted from 2015 to 2016,the concentration of 222Rn tended to be stable in the lower reaches of the Yellow River.During WSRS,the concentrations of 222Rn in the river water in-creased sharply at about 3–5 times greater than in the non-WSRS period.Based on the 222Rn mass balance model,the fluxes of 222Rn caused by submarine groundwater discharge(SGD)were estimated to be(3.5±1.7)×10^(3),(11±3.9)×10^(3),and(5.2±1.9)×10^(3)dpm m^(-2)d^(-1)in the periods before,during,and after WSRS,respectively.This finding indicated that SGD was the major source of 222Rn in the Yellow River Estuary,which can be significantly increased during WSRS.Furthermore,the SGD-associated nutrient fluxes were estimated to be 9.8×10^(3),2.5×102,and 1.1×10^(4)μmolm^(-2)d^(-1)for dissolved inorganic nitrogen,phosphorus,and silicon,respectively,during WSRS or about 2–40 times greater than during the non-WSRS period.

Temporal variability of water discharge and sediment load of the Yellow River into the sea during 1950-2008

Based on hydrological data observed at Lijin gauging station from 1950 to 2008, the temporal changes of water discharge and sediment load of the Yellow River into the sea were analyzed by the wavelet analysis, and their impacts on the estuary were investigated in different periods based on the measured coastline and bathymetry data. The results show that： （1） there were three significant periodicities, i.e. annual （0.5-1.0-year）, inter-annual （3.0-6.5-year） and decadal （10.1-14.2-year）, in the variations of water discharge and sediment load into the sea, which might be related to the periodic variations of El Nino and Southern Oscillation at long-term timescales. Variations of water discharge and sediment load were varying in various timescales, and their periodic variations were not significant during the 1970s-2000s due to strong human disturbances. （2） The long-term variation of water discharge and sediment load into the sea has shown a stepwise decrease since the 1950s due to the combined influences of human activities and precipitation decrease in the Yellow River Basin, and the human activities were the main cause for the decrease of water discharge and sediment load. （3） The water discharge and sediment load into the sea greatly influenced the evolution of the Yellow River Estuary, especially the stretch rate of coastline and the deposition rate of the sub-aqueous topography off the estuary which deposited since 1976.

Spatial and temporal variability of water discharge in the Yellow River Basin over the past 60 years

Water discharge data of the Yellow River over the past 60 years was analyzed using the continuous wavelet transform （CWT） and Mann-Kendall （MK） test methods to identify spatial and temporal variation patterns. Potential connections between water discharge in the Yellow River Basin and El Nifio/Southern Oscillation （ENSO） were also examined by the cross wavelet and wavelet coherence methods. CWT results show that the periodic oscillations in water discharges had occurred at the temporal scales of 1-, 2- to 4-, 6- to 8- and 10- to 22-year. It was also found that at the annual timescale （1-year） the phase relations between water discharge and ENSO were indistinct probably due to the strong influence by human disturbances. However, over the longer time scales, the phase relation becomes much clearer with an anti-phase relation being found mainly at inter-annual scale （2- to 8-year） and in-phase relation at decadal scale （16- to 22-year）. According to the MK test results water discharge at most stations except Tangnaihai have decreased significantly and the abrupt change occurred in the mid-1980s or the early 1990s. The changes in water discharge were found to be influenced by both climate changes and human activities. Before 1970 the change in water discharge was positively related to precipitation variations in the river basin, but after 1970 the decrease in water discharge has been largely caused by various human activities including constructions of reservoirs, water abstraction and water-soil conservation with water abstraction being the main cause.

Simulating cross-sectional geometry of the main channel in response to changes in water and sediment in Lower Yellow River

To understand the non-equilibrium morphological adjustment of a river in response to environmental changes,it is essential to(i)accurately identify how past conditions of water and sediment have impacted current morphological adjustment of the river,and(ii)establish a corresponding simulation for non-equilibrium conditions.Based on discharge and suspended sediment concentration(SSC)as well as 82 cross-sectional data items for the Huayuankou-Lijin reach of the Lower Yellow River in the period 1965-2015,the process of adjustment of the geometry of the main channel(area,width,depth,and geomorphic coefficient),and its responses to changes in discharge and SSC for different reaches are statistically analyzed.Following this,a delayed response model(DRM)of the geometry of the main channel subjected to variations in discharge and SSC is established using a multi-step analytical model,with the discharge and SSC as the main controlling factors.The results show that the area,width,and depth of the main channel decreased initially,then increased,decreased again,and finally increased again.These features of the geometry of the channel were positively correlated with the 4-year moving average discharge and negatively with the 4-year moving average SSC.The geomorphic coefficient for the Huayuankou-Sunkou reach exhibited a trend of decrease,whereas that of the Sunkou-Lijin reach decreased initially,then increased,decreased again,and finally increased again.Except for the Huayuankou-Gaocun reach in 1965-1999,the coefficient was negatively correlated with the 4-year moving average discharge and positively with SSC.The simulated values of the morphological parameters of the main channel for all sub-reaches obtained using the DRM agreed well with the measured values.This indicates that the DRM can be used to simulate the process of response of the cross-sectional geometry of the main channel to variations in the water and sediment.The results of the model show that the adjustment of the geometry of the main channel was affected by the discharge and the SSC at present(30%)as well as for the previous 7 years(70%).The proposed model offers insights into the mechanism whereby past water and sediment influence the current morphological adjustment of the river,and provides an effective method for predicting the magnitude and trend of the geometry of the main channel under different flow conditions.

Adjustment of flood discharge capacity with varying boundary conditions in a braided reach of the Lower Yellow River

It is of necessity to investigate the adjustment of flood discharge capacity in the Lower Yellow River(LYR)because of its profound importance in sediment transport and flood control decision-making,and additionally its magnitude is influenced by the channel and upstream boundary conditions,which have significantly varied with the ongoing implementation of soil and water conservation measures in the Loess Plateau and the operation of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir.The braided reach between two hydrometric stations of Huayuankou and Gaocun in the LYR was selected as the study area.Different parameters in the study reach during the period 1986-2015 were calculated,covering bankfull discharge(the indicator of flood discharge capacity),the pre-flood geomorphic coefficient(the indicator of channel boundary condition),and the previous five-year average fluvial erosion intensity during flood seasons(the indicator of incoming flow and sediment regime).Functional linkages at scales of section and reach were then developed respectively to quantitatively demonstrate the integrated effects of channel and upstream boundary conditions on the flood discharge capacity.Results show that:(1)the reach-scale bankfull discharge in the pre-dam stage(1986-1999)decreased rapidly by 50%,accompanied with severe channel aggradation and main-channel shrinkage.It recovered gradually as the geometry of main channel became narrower and deeper in the post-dam stage,with the geomorphic coefficient continuously reducing to less than 15 m-12.(2)The response of bankfull discharge to the channel and upstream boundary conditions varied at scales of section and reach,and consequently the determination coefficients differed for the comprehensive equations,with a smallest value at the Jiahetan station and a highest value(0.91)at reach scale.Generally,the verified results calculated using the comprehensive equations agreed well with the corresponding measured values in 2014-2015.(3)The effect of channel boundary condition was more prominent than that of upstream boundary condition on the adjustment of bankfull discharge at the Jiahetan station and the braided reach,which was proved by a larger improvement in determination coefficients for the comprehensive equations and a better performance of geomorphic coefficient on the increase of bankfull discharge.

Variation in reach-averaged bankfull discharge in the Yellow River Estuary in recent years

The Yellow River Estuary(YRE)alternatively experienced channel aggradation and degradation during the period 1990-2016.To study the variation in flood discharge capacity during the process of river bed evolution,bankfull characteristic parameters were investigated on the basis of measured hydrological data and surveyed cross-sectional profiles,which was crucial for comprehending the processes and the key factors to cause these rapid changes.A reach-averaged method was presented in this study in order to calculate the characteristic bankfull parameters in the YRE,and this method integrated the geometric mean using the logarithmic transformation with a weighted mean based on the distance between the two successive sections.The reach-averaged bankfull parameters in the tail reach of the Yellow River Estuary(the Lijin-Xihekou reach)during the period 1990-2016 were then calculated.Calculated results indicated that the adoption of a concept of reach-averaged bankfull discharge was much more representative than the cross-sectional bankfull discharge,and the results also indicated that bankfull discharges decreased during the process of channel aggradation,and increased during the process of channel degradation.Finally,an empirical formula and a delayed response function were established between the reach-averaged bankfull discharge and the previous 4-year average fluvial erosion intensity during flood seasons,and both of them were adopted to reproduce the reach-averaged bankfull discharges,and calculated results showed high correlations(R^(2)>0.8)of these two methods.

黄河下游花园口以上河段滞沙能力分析

黄河下游河床调整主要取决于来水来沙和河床边界条件,河床调整沿程不均衡特征明显,花园口以上河段床演变对水沙条件的变化响应尤为突出,泥沙冲淤调整幅度最大。基于河道冲淤及水沙演进特性、滞沙可行性、河槽几何特性等分析,提出了花园口以上河段可作为泥沙天然反调节“库”概念,结合黄河下游实测洪水资料,采用水力计算方法,计算了花园口以上河段的河槽排洪能力及不同河槽规模条件下河槽允许滞沙量,提出了反调“库”滞沙能力,可为小浪底水库排沙指标的确定提供依据,对维持小浪底水库有效库容、弥补后续清水河床沙源不足、改善黄河下游河槽冲淤不均衡现象具有重要意义。

黄河下游花园口以上河道滞沙指标研究

水沙搭配关系是影响黄河下游河道冲淤调整的重要因素,局部河段滞沙则是改善下游水沙关系的有效手段之一。小浪底水库运用后,河槽沿程冲刷不均衡,河床粗化,细沙补给不足,输沙效率明显降低。分析黄河下游河道冲淤特性及水沙演进规律,建立不同类型洪水滞沙河段(花园口以上河段)与排洪瓶颈河段(高村—艾山河段)的冲淤关系。基于滞沙对河道行洪和稳定性的影响,以排洪瓶颈河段不淤积为约束,提出洪水滞沙的水沙优化配置指标。中泥沙洪水滞沙指标为:洪水平均流量为1800~3700 m^(3)/s,平均含沙量为66~235 kg/m^(3)。

黄河下游灌区引黄涵闸引水能力变化原因分析

黄河下游引黄涵闸受河床下切、河势变化等因素共同影响,引水条件与设计情况相比发生了变化,造成部分河段涵闸引水困难,影响农业适时灌溉和生产。为给应对引黄涵闸引水能力下降问题提供参考,基于黄河下游2000—2016年引黄涵闸引水水位和河道断面实测数据,分析引黄涵闸引水水位变化、河槽冲刷、引黄渠道淤积变化等因素对引黄涵闸引水能力产生的影响。结果表明:1)2016年黄河来水300~900 m^(3)/s时,黄河下游引黄涵闸实际引水能力仅为设计引水能力的13.63%~39.43%,引黄涵闸引水能力明显下降;2)相较2000年,2016年的引黄涵闸设计值对应黄河流量的水位,高村以上河段下降了2.95~3.35 m,高村以下河段下降了1.55~2.95 m;3)从河段河床平均冲刷厚度看,花园口—夹河滩、夹河滩—高村、高村—孙口、孙口—艾山、艾山—泺口、泺口—利津河段的冲刷厚度分别为3.88、3.06、1.84、1.88、1.88、2.02 m,河槽连续冲刷导致同流量水位明显降低,严重影响河南和山东段引黄涵闸正常引水;4)涵闸前后引、输水渠道淤积会导致引黄涵闸引水能力降低。

调水调沙期黄河下游河道洪峰增值预测方法研究

准确预测黄河调水调沙期出现的洪峰增值现象,不仅是水库工程调度和下游防洪工程防护的迫切需要,同时也是水力学及河流动力学学科研究面临的新课题。以增值比例为因变量,以小浪底沙峰、含沙量涨峰期平均涨率、含沙量起涨前基流、悬沙粒径等小浪底出库水沙特征参数为自变量,基于相关性分析筛选出沙峰、含沙量涨峰期平均涨率作为洪峰增值的预判参数。研究发现,当小浪底含沙量涨峰期平均涨率超过22.9 kg/(m^(3)·h)时,小浪底至花园口河段可能发生洪峰增值现象,并可基于小浪底沙峰与增值比例之间的相关关系预测增值区间;对2023年调水调沙期小浪底水文站实时水情、沙情进行跟踪,在小浪底水文站第一个沙峰出现后,对小浪底至花园口河段洪峰增值进行了预测预报,预测结果与实测结果基本一致。

流凌封河预报指标法及其在黄河内蒙古河段的应用

把流凌封河累积负气温作为黄河内蒙古河段封河预报关键指标,明确累积负气温与封河流量、降温强度、河槽形态等的关系,确定现有河槽形态以及海勃湾水库运用影响下不同流量和降温强度封河所需的累积负气温,并建立了流凌封河累积负气温预估公式。指标法可以在很大程度上提高黄河内蒙古河段封河预报的预见期与精度。

黄河下游平滩流量的模拟方法

在黄河流域水沙变异背景下,准确计算黄河下游平滩流量对于河道冲淤趋势预测与悬河治理十分重要。本文在比较分析已有多个黄河下游平滩流量计算方法基础上,首先建立了考虑非汛期水沙条件影响的平滩流量滞后响应模型,再提出了基于滞后响应模型和能量法的平滩流量模拟方法,结果表明:(1)小浪底运行后非汛期水沙条件发生了重要改变,已有研究提出的三种黄河下游平滩流量计算方法中,滑动平均法、滞后响应模型、能量法均无法有效模拟2000年后的黄河下游河道平滩流量。(2)建立了考虑非汛期水沙条件影响的滞后响应模型,以反映小浪底水库运行以来非汛期来水来沙条件的影响,虽然提高了平滩流量的模拟精度,但平滩流量平衡值的计算公式中部分参数差异较大,结构形式不稳定。(3)借鉴能量法的优点,改进了平滩流量平衡值计算公式,改进后的平滩流量计算方法不仅可反映全年来水来沙的影响,而且可同时反映以床沙中值粒径为代表的床面阻力的影响,新方法不仅具有一定的理论基础,而且提高了平滩流量的模拟精度。

现行黄河口分汊河道的分流特征及其影响机制

自2013年黄河尾闾河道出汊形成双槽入海的河口汊道,控制了河口流量的分配,但其分流特征及其影响机制尚不清楚。本文基于Delft3D构建了黄河口汊道的水动力三维数值模型,模拟了不同工况下河口汊道的分流特征,揭示了其影响机制。结果表明:河口汊道的分流不对称性随流量的增加而减小,流量增加加大了东汊与北汊河道的水位梯度差,使得从东汊河道的流量增量较北汊河道大,河流流量的分配更加均匀。潮汐作用增强了河口汊道的流量不对称性,而随着径流量的增加,潮汐的增强作用逐渐减弱。这主要由于在半日潮的作用下,东汊和北汊河道水位梯度的差异,形成河口潮汐的“东阻北促”效应,增强了河口汊道的分流不对称性。

持续冲刷期内黄河下游河床演变特点分析

基于2006年10月至2018年11月黄河下游12个典型断面观测数据,通过分析断面主槽平滩形态特征参数变化率及深泓线和主槽中心线的摆动强度,探讨了持续冲刷期内下游河床的调整变化过程及特点。结果表明:黄河下游断面形态调整表现出既有横向展宽又有冲深下切或淤高态势;河床平面摆动促进了断面主槽形态调整,河相系数变化率与深泓线和主槽中心线摆动强度均成正相关关系;来水来沙条件是主槽形态改变的主要驱动力,且可引起局部河段深泓线摆动强度增大。通过调整小浪底水库的运行模式及布设控导工程可进一步塑造并维持稳定的黄河下游中水河槽。