Observed precipitation trends in the Yangtze river catchment from 1951 to 2002

The monthly, seasonal, and annual precipitation trends in the Yangtze river catchment have been detected through analysis of 51 meteorological stations' data between 1950-2002 provided by National Meteorological Administration. Results reveal that: 1) Summer precipitation in the Yangtze river catchment shows significant increasing tendency. The Poyanghu lake basin, Dongtinghu lake basin and Taihu lake basin in the middle and lower reaches are the places showing significant positive trends. Summer precipitation in the middle and lower reaches experienced an abrupt change in the year 1992; 2) The monthly precipitation in months just adjoining to summer shows decreasing tendency in the Yangtze river catchment. The upper and middle reaches in Jialingjiang river basin and Hanshui river basin are the places showing significant negative trends; 3) Extreme precipitation events show an increasing tendency in most places, especially in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze river catchment.

Functional Rehabilitation of the "Soil Reservoir"in Degraded Soils to Control Floods in the Yangtze River Watershed

The reasons for the Yangtze River flood calamity in 1998 are briefly introduced. The authors believe that using a 'soil reservoir' concept is an important means to help control flooding of the Yangtze River.A 'soil reservoir' has a large potential storage capacity and its water can be rapidly 'discharged' into the underground water in a timely fashion. The eroded, infertile soils of the Yangtze River Watershed are currently an obstacle to efficient operation of the 'soil reservoir'. The storage capacity of this 'soil reservoir'has been severely hampered due to intensive soil erosion and the formation of soil crusts. Therefore, possible measures to control floods in the Yangtze River Watershed include: rehabilitating the vegetation to preserve soil and water on the eroded infertile soils, enhancing infiltration of the different soil types, and utilizing the large 'soil reservoir' of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

Toward Understanding the Extreme Floods over Yangtze River Valley in June−July 2020:Role of Tropical Oceans

The extreme floods in the Middle/Lower Yangtze River Valley(MLYRV)during June−July 2020 caused more than 170 billion Chinese Yuan direct economic losses.Here,we examine the key features related to this extreme event and explore relative contributions of SST anomalies in different tropical oceans.Our results reveal that the extreme floods over the MLYRV were tightly related to a strong anomalous anticyclone persisting over the western North Pacific,which brought tropical warm moisture northward that converged over the MLYRV.In addition,despite the absence of a strong El Niño in 2019/2020 winter,the mean SST anomaly in the tropical Indian Ocean during June−July 2020 reached its highest value over the last 40 years,and 43%(57%)of it is attributed to the multi-decadal warming trend(interannual variability).Based on the NUIST CFS1.0 model that successfully predicted the wet conditions over the MLYRV in summer 2020 initiated from 1 March 2020(albeit the magnitude of the predicted precipitation was only about one-seventh of the observed),sensitivity experiment results suggest that the warm SST condition in the Indian Ocean played a dominant role in generating the extreme floods,compared to the contributions of SST anomalies in the Maritime Continent,central and eastern equatorial Pacific,and North Atlantic.Furthermore,both the multi-decadal warming trend and the interannual variability of the Indian Ocean SSTs had positive impacts on the extreme floods.Our results imply that the strong multi-decadal warming trend in the Indian Ocean needs to be taken into consideration for the prediction/projection of summer extreme floods over the MLYRV in the future.

Development of a Meteorological and Hydrological Coupling Index for Droughts and Floods along the Yangtze River Valley of China

To comprehensively investigate characteristics of summer droughts and floods in the Yangtze River valley, a meteorological and hydrological coupling index （MHCI） was developed using meteorological and hydro- logical data. The results indicate that： （1） in representing drought/flood information for the Yangtze River valley, the MHCI can reflect composite features of precipitation and hydrological observations; （2） compre- hensive analysis of the interannual phase difference of the precipitation and hydrological indices is important to recognize and predict annual drought/flood events along the valley; the hydrological index contributes more strongly to nonlinear and continuity features that indicate transition from long-term drought to flood conditions; （3） time series of the MHCI from 1960-2009 are very effective and sensitive in reflecting annual drought/flood characteristics, i.e. there is more rainfall or typical flooding in the valley when the MHCI is positive, and vice versa; and （4） verification of the MHCI indicates that there is significant correlation between precipitation and hydrologic responses in the valley during summer; the correlation coefficient was found to reach 0.82, exceeding the 0.001 significance level.

The Trend and Fluctuation of Historical Floods in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River

The middle reaches of the Yangtze River are the worst flood area of the whole basin. To study the variation regulation of the fl oods in this area over a long historical period assure improvement in prediction s of floods in the region. The trend of flood occurred frequency has close relat ionship with human activities near the river. By using statistics analysis, the fluctuations for the time series of floods since 1525 are studied. The results show that the main cycle of flood variation can be identified obviously the per iod of 2, 8 and 40 years with exceeding the level of confidence 0.03.

The Effect of Geologic Structures on the Control of Floods in the Middle Yangtze River Valley

This paper discusses the role of geologic structures in the occurrence of floods and how to prevent flood in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and gives the author's suggestion that the Luoshan Qiakou be expanded and the land reclaimed from Dongting Lake be returned to the lake in compliance with the law of geology.

Decreasing Reference Evapotranspiration in a Warming Climate-A Case of Changjiang (Yangtze) River Catchment During 1970-2000

This study deals with temporal trends in the Penman-Monteith reference evapotranspiration estimated from standard meteorological observations, observed pan evaporation, and four related meteorological variables during 1970-2000 in the Yangtze River catchment. Relative contributions of the four meteorological variables to changes in the reference evapotranspiration are quantified. The results show that both the reference evapotranspiration and the pan evaporation have significant decreasing trends in the upper, the middle as well as in the whole Changjiang （Yangtze） River catchment at the 5% significance level, while the air temperature shows a significant increasing trend. The decreasing trend detected in the reference evapotranspiration can be attributed to the significant decreasing trends in the net radiation and the wind speed.

Numerical Simulation of the Relationships between the 1998 Yangtze River Valley Floods and SST Anomalies

With the IAP/LASG GOALS model, the relationships between the floods in the Yangtze River valley arid sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) in the Pacific and Indian Oceans in 1998 have been studied. The results show that the model can reproduce the heavy rainfall over the Yangtze River valley in the sum-mer of 1998 forced by global observational sea surface temperatures (SST). The model can also reproduce the observed principal features of the subtropical high anomalies over the western Pacific. The experiments with the observed SST in different ocean areas and different periods have been made. By comparing the ef-fects of SSTA of different ocean areas on the floods, it is found that the SSTA in the Indian Ocean are a ma-jor contributor to the floods, and the results also show that the SSTA in the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific have a much closer relationship with the strong anomalies of the subtropical high over the western Pacific than the SSTA in other concerned areas. The study also indicates that the floods and subtropical high anomalies in the summer of 1998 are more controlled by the simultaneous summertime SSTA than by SSTA in the preceding winter and spring seasons.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ATMOSPHERIC HEATING SOURCE/SINK ANOMALIES OF ASIAN MONSOON AND FLOOD/DROUGHT IN THE YANGTZE RIVER BASIN IN THE MEIYU PERIOD

NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data and a 30-year precipitation dataset of observed daily rainfall from 109 gauge stations are utilized in this paper.Using the REOF we analyzed the spatial distribution of precipitation in the 109 stations in the Yangtze River Basin in Meiyu periods from 1978 to 2007.The result showed that the spatial distribution of precipitation in the Yangtze River Basin can be divided into the south and north part.As a result,relationships between an atmospheric heating source(hereafter called <Q_1>) over the Asian region and the precipitation on the south and north side of Yangtze River in Meiyu periods were separately studied in this paper.The results are shown as follows.The flood/drought to the north of Yangtze River(NYR) was mainly related to the <Q_1> over the East Asia summer monsoon region:when the <Q_1> over the Philippines through Western Pacific and the south China was weakened(strengthened),it would probably result in the flood(drought) in NYR;and the precipitation on the south side of Yangtze River(SYR)was related to the <Q_1> over the east Asia and Indian summer monsoon region:when the <Q_1> over the areas from south China to the northern East China Sea and Yellow Sea and south-eastern Japan was strengthened(weakened),and the <Q_1> over the areas from the Bay of Bengal to south-eastern Tibetan Plateau was weakened(strengthened),it will lead to flood(drought) in SYR.

Analysis of Causes and Seasonal Prediction of the Severe Floods in Yangtze／Huaihe Basins during Summer 1991

The present paper shows that a seasonal prediction for the large scale flooding and waterlogging of the mid-lower Yangtze/ Huaihe River basins in the summer of 1991 made successfully in early April 1991.The seasonal forecasting method and some predictors are also introduced and analyzed herein. Because the extra extent of the abnormally early onset of the plum rain period in 1991 was unexpected,great efforts have been made to find out the causes of this abnormality. These causes are mainly associated with the large scale warming of SST surrounding the south and east part of Asia during the preceding winter,while the ENSO-like pattern of SSTA occurred in the North Pacific.In addition,the possible influence of strong solar proton events is analyzed.In order to improve the seasonal pre4iction the usage of the predicted SOl in following spring/summer is also introduced.The author believes thatthe regional climate anomaly can be correctly predicted for one season ahead only on the basis of physical understanding of the interactions of many preceding factors.

Catchment-based Imperviousness Metrics Impacts on Floods in Niushou River Basin,Nanjing City,East China

Concerns regarding urbanization impacts on floods gradually moved from end-of-pipe solutions, based on open channel hydraulics improvement, to imperviousness ratio limiting and then to land use control and to integrated planning at local and large scale levels. The Niushou River basin is one of the fastest urbanizing areas in Nanjing City, East China, however, the high urban land percentage has leaded to series of flooding events. The paper aims to reveal the impact of imperviousness ratio, patterns and drainage system on flooding areas based on the unit of catchment and Storm Water Management Model(SWMM). The following conclusions were reached. 1) The ratio or spatial characteristics of the impervious surface affected the runoff volumes and associated floods areas. Despite the well-established drainage system, the high imperviousness ratio, particularly clustered pattern in locations such as hydrological sensitive zones aggravated the flooding tension across the basin. 2) The poor drainage hydraulic efficiency in local areas, and the lack of integral processes of infiltration, yield, storage and discharge in local catchment and larger basin are also significant factors. 3) The Niushou River basin development should improve the drainage transformations from a single local, short-term drainage process into integral, elastic processes of infiltration, yield, storage, and discharge.

Numerical Simulation of the Relationships hetween the 1998Yangtze River Valley Floods and SST Anomalies

With the IAP/ LASG GOALS model, the relationships between the floods in the Yangtze River valley and sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) in the Pacific and Indian Oceans in 1998 have been studied. The results show that the model can reproduce the heavy rainfall over the Yangtze River valley in the sum mer of 1998 forced by global observational sea surface temperatures (SST). The model can also reproduce the observed principal features of the subtropical high anomalies over the western Pacific. The experiments with the observed SST in different ocean areas and different periods have been made. By comparing the ef fects of SSTA of different ocean areas on the floods, it is found that the SSTA in the Indian Ocean are a ma jor contributor to the floods, and the results also show that the SSTA in the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific have a much closer relationship with the strong anomalies of the subtropical high over the western Pacific than the SSTA in other concerned areas. The study also indicates that the floods and subtropical high anomalies in the summer of 1998 are more controlled by the simultaneous summertime SSTA than by SSTA in the preceding winter and spring seasons.

Contrasts of Atmospheric Circulation and Associated Tropical Convection between Huaihe River Valley and Yangtze River Valley Mei-yu Flooding

The significant differences of atmospheric circulation between flooding in the Huaihe and Yangtze River valleys during early mei-yu （i.e., the East Asian rainy season in June） and the related tropical convection were investigated. During the both flooding cases, although the geopotential height anomalies always exhibit equivalent barotropic structures in middle to high latitudes at middle and upper troposphere, the phase of the Rossby wave train is different over Eurasian continent. During flooding in the Huaihe River valley, only one single blocking anticyclone is located over Baikal Lake. In contrast, during flooding in the Yangtze River valley, there are two blocking anticyclones. One is over the Ural Mountains and the other is over Northeast Asia. In the lower troposphere a positive geopotential height anomaly is located at the western ridge of subtropical anticyclone over Western Pacific （SAWP） in both flooding cases, but the location of the height anomaly is much farther north and west during the Huaihe River mei-yu flooding. Fhrthermore, abnormal rainfall in the Huaihe River valley and the regions north of it in China is closely linked with the latent heating anomaly over the Arabian Sea and Indian peninsula. However, the rainfall in the Yangtze River valley and the regions to its south in China is strongly related to the convection over the western tropical Pacific. Numerical experiments demonstrated that the enhanced latent heating over the Arabian Sea and Indian peninsula causes water vapor convergence in the region south of Tibetan Plateau and in the Huaihe River valley extending to Japan Sea with enhanced precipitation; and vapor divergence over the Yangtze River valley and the regions to its south with deficient precipitation. While the weakened convection in the tropical West Pacific results in moisture converging over the Yangtze River and the region to its south, along with abundant rainfall.

Cause of Extreme Heavy and Persistent Rainfall over Yangtze River in Summer 2020

Record-breaking heavy and persistent precipitation occurred over the Yangtze River Valley(YRV)in June-July(JJ)2020.An observational data analysis has indicated that the strong and persistent rainfall arose from the confluence of southerly wind anomalies to the south associated with an extremely strong anomalous anticyclone over the western North Pacific(WNPAC)and northeasterly anomalies to the north associated with a high-pressure anomaly over Northeast Asia.A further observational and modeling study has shown that the extremely strong WNPAC was caused by both La Niña-like SST anomaly(SSTA)forcing in the equatorial Pacific and warm SSTA forcing in the tropical Indian Ocean(IO).Different from conventional central Pacific(CP)El Niños that decay slowly,a CP El Niño in early 2020 decayed quickly and became a La Niña by early summer.This quick transition had a critical impact on the WNPAC.Meanwhile,an unusually large area of SST warming occurred in the tropical IO because a moderate interannual SSTA over the IO associated with the CP El Niño was superposed by an interdecadal/long-term trend component.Numerical sensitivity experiments have demonstrated that both the heating anomaly in the IO and the heating anomaly in the tropical Pacific contributed to the formation and maintenance of the WNPAC.The persistent high-pressure anomaly in Northeast Asia was part of a stationary Rossby wave train in the midlatitudes,driven by combined heating anomalies over India,the tropical eastern Pacific,and the tropical Atlantic.

Magnitude,Scale,and Dynamics of the 2020 Mei-yu Rains and Floods over China

Large parts of East and South Asia were affected by heavy precipitation and flooding during early summer 2020.This study provides both a statistical and dynamical characterization of rains and floods affecting the Yangtze River Basin(YRB).By aggregating daily and monthly precipitation over river basins across Asia,it is shown that the YRB is one of the areas that was particularly affected.June and July 2020 rainfall was higher than in the previous 20 years,and the YRB experienced anomalously high rainfall across most of its sub-basins.YRB discharge also attained levels not seen since 1998/1999.An automated method detecting the daily position of the East Asian Summer Monsoon Front(EASMF)is applied to show that the anomalously high YRB precipitation was associated with a halted northward progression of the EASMF and prolonged mei-yu conditions over the YRB lasting more than one month.Two 5-day heavy-precipitation episodes(12−16 June and 4−8 July 2020)are selected from this period for dynamical characterization,including Lagrangian trajectory analysis.Particular attention is devoted to the dynamics of the airstreams converging at the EASMF.Both episodes display heavy precipitation and convergence of monsoonal and subtropical air masses.However,clear differences are identified in the upper-level flow pattern,substantially affecting the balance of airmass advection towards the EASMF.This study contextualizes heavy precipitation in Asia in summer 2020 and showcases several analysis tools developed by the authors for the study of such events.

Water vapor transport over China and its relationship with drought and flood in Yangtze River Basin

The characteristics of water vapor transport(WVT) over China and its relationship with precipitation anomalies in the Yangtze River Basin(YRB) are analyzed by using the upper-air station data in China and ECMWF reanalysis data in summer from 1981 to 2002.The results indicate that the first mode of the vertically integrated WVT is significant whose spatial distribution presents water vapor convergence or divergence in the YRB.When the Western Pacific Subtropical High(WPSH) is strong and shifts southward and westward, the Indian Monsoon Low Pressure(IMLP) is weak, and the northern part of China stands behind the middle and high latitude trough, a large amount of water vapor from the Bay of Bengal(BOB), the South China Sea(SCS) and the western Pacific forms a strong and steady southwest WVT band and meets the strong cold water vapor from northern China in the YRB, thus it is likely to cause flood in the YRB.When WPSH is weak and shifts northward and eastward, IMLP is strong, and there is nearly straight west wind over the middle and high latitude, it is unfavorable for oceanic vapor extending to China and no steady and strong southwest WVT exists in the region south of the YRB.Meanwhile, the cold air from northern China is weak and can hardly be transported to the YRB.This brings on no obvious water vapor convergence, and then less precipitation in the YRB.

Engineering Strategies on Flood Control in Middle Reach of Yangtze River, China

Flood disaster has been a serious hidden danger since the ancient time. The essential cause for the fact that floods have not been eliminated for hundreds of years is that time honored strategies do not suit the cases of flood prevention. In the view of geological environmental analyses of flood formation and from the synthesis of experiences gained in flood control in the past hundreds of years, sluggish draining of flood, silt sedimentation in channel and building levee blindly constitute the main cause of intractable flood for a long time in the middle reach of the Yangtze River. Draining away silt and water is the only way to stamping out flood disaster. Opening up artificial waterways for flood diversion, draining away the silt of channel into the polders, and storing the flood water are important engineering measures for the flood control and damage reduction.

Preliminary Study in Spatial Data Warehouse of Flood Control and Disaster Mitigation in Yangtze River Basin

Since 1990s,the spatial data warehouse technology has rapidly been developing, but due to the complexity of multi-dimensional analysis, extensive application of the spatial data warehouse technology is affected. In the light of the characteristics of the flood control and disaster mitigation in the Yangtze river basin, it is proposed to design a scheme about the subjects and data distribution of the spatial data warehouse of the flood control and disaster mitigation in Yangtze river basin, i.e., to adopt a distributed scheme. The creation and development of the spatial data warehouse of the flood control and disaster mitigation in Yangtze river basin is presented .The necessity and urgency of establishing the spatial data warehouse is expounded from the viewpoint of the present situation being short of available information for the flood control and disaster mitigation in Yangtze river basin.

Flood and Waterlogging Disaster Damage Evaluation in Middle-Lower Yangtze River by 3S technology

The evaluation method, model and process for the flood and waterlogging disaster condition by GIS,RS and GPS technology and the method for setting up disaster condition database, dyke database and historical disaster damage database are presented. An index of flood damage degree(FDD) used to evaluate the relative degree of disaster loss and divide flood and waterlogging area is suggested. The value of flood damage degree can be calculated as follows :taking the various disaster losses of sample area in a base year as standard value and computing the ratios of various disaster loss values in different areas and years to the standard flood disaster loss values, then summing up the weighted ratios. The computed results are the value of flood damage degree in the every year. The macroscopic flood disaster distribution can be evaluated by the values of flood loss degree.