Research on Water and Sediment Regulation of the Yellow River under New Situation
Chunhong Hu, Shuanghu Zhang, Xiaoming Zhang
Abstract
Water and sediment regulation is critical for the long-term safety of the Yellow River. Influenced by both natural factors and human activities such as water and soil conservation, the amount of water and sediments of the Yellow River continues varying. The amount of water resources decreases slightly and sediments decrease sharply. A scientific prediction of the amount of sediments in the future is crucial for formulating the strategy for water and sediment regulation of the Yellow River. In this paper, we analyze the variation characteristics of the amount of water and sediments from 1919 to 2020, predict the annual sediment transport of the Yellow River in the next 50 years, and systematically summarize the main problems regarding water and sediment regulation in the Yellow River Basin such as river sedimentation atrophy in the upper reaches, incompatibility between river regulation strategies with high-quality development requirements in the lower reaches, and mismatched measures of soil and water loss control in the Loess Plateau. Three targeted strategies for water and sediment regulation under new conditions are proposed. The first is to perfect the water and sediment regulation engineering system with focus on the development of Heishanxia reach and the construction of the Guxian water conservancy project. The second is to manage regionally floodplains at the lower reaches, renovate river channels, and release a part of the floodplains. The third is to adjust soil and water conservation measures according to local nature and water conditions.