基于Copula的洞庭湖-流域-长江系统水文干旱概率分析

洞庭湖是长江中游重要的通江湖泊,水系格局复杂.近年来在气候变化和人类活动的双重影响下,江湖关系发生变化,湖泊水文干旱事件频发.基于洞庭湖、流域和长江干流水文站点的实测数据,通过标准化水位指数和标准化径流指数识别了水文干旱事件,并运用Copula函数分析了洞庭湖-流域-长江系统水文干旱的联合概率分布特征.结果表明:在年尺度上,1964—2016年间洞庭湖共发生了9次水文干旱事件,水文干旱的发生概率为14.01%,洞庭湖-流域系统、洞庭湖-长江系统的水文干旱联合概率分别为9.65%和8.58%,表明年尺度上流域来水对洞庭湖水文干旱的影响更大.在季节尺度上,洞庭湖-流域系统春季水文干旱联合概率最高,且两者同时发生水文干旱事件的次数最多,表明洞庭湖春季水文干旱与流域入湖补给减少有密切关系;而洞庭湖-长江系统,其秋季水文干旱联合概率最大,尤其自2003年以后更加极端和频发,这一方面受秋季降水减少和流域内人类活动的影响,另一方面三峡水库秋季蓄水使长江中下游干流水位降低,长江对湖泊顶托作用减弱也是重要原因之一.     

Effect of extreme rainfall events on the water resources of the Jordan River

As a response to climate change, shifting rainfall trends including increased multi-year droughts and an escalation in extreme rainfall events are expected in the Middle East. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential impact of these shifting trends on stream flow in the Jordan River and its tributaries. We use a non-homogeneous hidden Markov model to generate artificial daily rainfall simulations which capture independently shifting trends of increased droughts and escalated extreme. These simulations are then used as input into a hydrological model calibrated for the upper catchments of the Jordan River to compare the impact on stream flow and water resources between the different rainfall scenarios. We compare the predicted baseflow and surface flow components of the tested watersheds, and find that while an increase in extreme rainfall events increases the intensity and frequency of surface flow, the over all flow to the Jordan River, and the characteristics of the baseflow in the Jordan River system is not largely impacted. In addition, though it has been suggested that in the case of a multi-year drought the karstic nature of the aquifer might lead to more intense, non-linear reductions in stream flow, here we quantify and show the conditions when annual stream flow reduce linearly with rainfall, and when these relations will become non-linear.     

城镇化下流域不透水面扩张对洪峰的影响——以南京秦淮河为例

长江下游秦淮河流域近年来由于城市化崛起导致不透水面迅速扩张,改变了流域水文过程,导致暴雨洪水灾害风险增大.本文以南京秦淮河流域为例,基于1988—2015年间下垫面和水文气象资料建立了流域水文模型,通过不透水面扩张情景分析,探讨了 1988—2015年间不透水面空间扩张及对流域洪水过程的影响.研究结果表明:(1)秦淮河全流域1988—2015年不透水率从3.92%增长到19.11%,且不同区域扩张速度有所差异;(2)2006—2015年不透水面情景下的洪峰流量平均涨幅大于城市化初期;受流域上下游位置和下垫面地形条件的影响,流域溧水河和句容河两河源处的不透水面变化对洪峰的影响较流域下游出口处更显著;(3)秦淮河流域及不同位置的不透水面扩张情景下,小洪水的洪峰响应均大于大洪水,且不透水面扩张发生在下游主干河流域时的大、小洪水洪峰涨幅差距略大于河源流域.     

Impact of multi-annual drought on streamflow and habitat in coastal California salmonid streams

The 2012–2015 drought in north-central coastal California ranks among the three most prolonged periods of below-median annual rainfall in the past 65 years. In three critical coho salmon streams, summer baseflow was less each additional dry year; streams with summer flow early in the drought had no flow for more than two months in latter years. By the third dry year, summer discharge was 1–5% of recent wet-type years, and 10–20% of the first dry year. Multiannual drought also caused increased dry channel conditions: the percentage of flowing channel reduced from 28 to 55% from the first to the third dry years among three study streams. In the first year following drought, dry-season streamflow resembled early to-mid-drought conditions, while in the second, it approached pre-drought discharge. This multiannual drought foreshadows how multi-annual drought predicted under future climate scenarios may affect critical salmonid streams later this century.     

Spatial and temporal patterns of stable water isotopes along the Yangtze River during two drought years

Changes in the level of the Yangtze River caused by anthropogenic water regulation have major effects on the hydrological processes and water cycle in surrounding lakes and rivers. In this study, we obtained isotopic evidence of changes in the water cycle of Yangtze River during the two drought years of 2006 and 2013. Isotopic evidence demonstrated that the δ¹⁸O and δD levels in Yangtze River exhibited high spatial heterogeneity from the upper to lower reaches, which were controlled by atmospheric precipitation, tributary/lake water mixing, damming regulation, and water temperature. Both the slope and intercept of Yangtze River evaporative line (δD = 7.88 δ¹⁸O + 7.96) were slightly higher than those of local meteoric water line of Yangtze River catchment (δD = 7.41 δ¹⁸O + 6.01). Most of the river isotopic values were located below the local meteoric water line, thereby implying that the Yangtze River water experienced a certain degree of evaporative enrichment on isotopic compositions of river water. The high fluctuations in the isotopic composition (e.g., deuterium excess [d‐excess]) in the middle to lower reaches during the initial stage of operation for the Three Gorges Dams (2003–2006) were due to heterogeneous isotopic signatures from the upstream water. In contrast to the normal stage (after 2010) characterized by the maximum water level and largest water storage, a relatively small variability in the deuterium excess was found along the middle to lower reaches because of the homogenization of reservoir water with a longer residence time and complete mixing. The effects of water from lakes and tributaries on the isotopic compositions in mainstream water were highlighted because of the high contributions of lakes water (e.g., Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake) efflux to the Yangtze River mainstream, which ranged from 21% to 85% during 2006 and 2013. These findings suggest that the retention and regulation of the Three Gorges Dams has greatly buffered the isotopic variability of the water cycle in the Yangtze catchment, thereby improving our understanding of the complex lake–river interactions along the middle to lower reaches in the future.     

Changes in streamflow regimes and their responses to different soil and water conservation measures in the Loess Plateau watersheds,China

Investigating the changes in streamflow regimes in response to various influencing factors contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms of hydrological processes in different watersheds and to water resource management strategies. This study examined streamflow regime changes by applying the indicators of hydrologic alteration method and eco-flow metrics to daily runoff data (1965–2016) from the Sandu, Hulu and Dali Rivers on the Chinese Loess Plateau, and then determined their responses to terracing, afforestation and damming. The Budyko water balance equation and the double mass curve method were used to separate the impacts of climate change and human activities on the mean discharge changes. The results showed that the terraced and dammed watersheds exhibited significant decreases in annual runoff. All hydrologic metrics indicated that the highest degree of hydrologic alteration was in the Sandu River watershed (terraced), where the monthly and extreme flows reduced significantly. In contrast, the annual eco-deficit increased significantly, indicating the highest reduction in streamflow among the three watersheds. The regulation of dams and reservoirs in the Dali River watershed has altered the flow regime, and obvious decreases in the maximum flow and slight increases in the minimum flow and baseflow indices were observed. In the Hulu River watershed (afforested), the monthly flow and extreme flows decreased slightly and were categorized as low-degree alteration, indicating that the long-term delayed effects of afforestation on hydrological processes. The magnitude of the eco-flow metrics varied with the alteration of annual precipitation. Climate change contributed 67.47% to the runoff reduction in the Hulu River watershed, while human activities played predominant roles in reducing runoff in the Sandu and Dali River watersheds. The findings revealed distinct patterns and causes of streamflow regime alteration due to different conservation measures, emphasizing the need to optimize the spatial allocation of measures to control soil erosion and utilize water resources on the Loess Plateau.     

Separating climate change and human contributions to variations in streamflow and its components using eight time‐trend methods

Separating impacts of human activities and climate change on hydrology is essential for watershed and ecosystem management. Many previous studies have focused on the impacts on total streamflow, however, with little attentions paid to its components (i.e., baseflow and surface run‐off). This study distinguished the contributions of climate change and human activities to the variations in streamflow, baseflow, and surface run‐off in the upstream area of the Heihe River Basin, a typical inland river basin in northwest China, by using eight different forms of time‐trend methods. The isolated contributions to streamflow variation were also compared with those obtained by two Budyko‐based approaches. Our results showed that the time‐trend methods consistently estimated positive contributions of climate variability and human activities to the increases in streamflow and its components but with obviously varying magnitudes. With regard to streamflow, the time‐trend method double‐mass‐curve–Wei, with a physical basis, produced a reasonable smaller contribution of human activities than climate changes, inconsistent with the Budyko‐based approaches. However, all the other time‐trend methods led to contrary results. The contributions to baseflow variation diverged more significantly than those to streamflow and surface run‐off, ranging from 24% to 92% for human activities and from 8% to 76% for climate variability. In terms of surface run‐off, most of the time‐trend approaches produced smaller contributions of human activities (ranging from 21% to 49%) than climate change. The uncertainties associated with the various time‐trend approaches and the baseflow separation algorithm were revealed and discussed, along with some recommendations for future work.     

鄱阳湖泄流能力分析

鄱阳湖近年低枯水位频繁发生,引起了人们广泛的关注.鄱阳湖作为吞吐型湖泊,通过狭长的湖口水道与长江自然相通,其水力特性直接影响着长江与鄱阳湖的相互作用关系.基于水力学方法,提出湖泊泄流能力的概念,并采用湖泊水文观测数据,研究了鄱阳湖的泄流能力特征及其近年的演变过程.结果表明,2000s之前鄱阳湖泄流能力基本维持不变,之后迅速提高,近年开始趋于稳定.泄流能力的显著提高改变了鄱阳湖与长江相互作用的水力特性,从而影响了鄱阳湖的水量平衡,加剧了近年枯水情势.研究表明,大规模采砂是鄱阳湖泄流能力变化的主因,应加强鄱阳湖采砂管理.     

Should the Three Gorges Dam be blamed for the extremely low water levels in the middle–lower Yangtze River?

Extremely low water level events have frequently occurred in the middle–lower Yangtze River (MLYR) in recent years (2006–2011). Most of these drought events coincided with the initial operation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD). The TGD was therefore the focus of controversy about the causes of the hydrological droughts of the rivers and lakes of the region. We quantified the effects of the TGD's operation on water levels from 2006 to 2011 using a newly developed hydrodynamic model. The operation of the TGD significantly exacerbated the severe hydrological droughts that occurred in late September to November because of water impoundment, but it increased water levels from April to early June in the MLYR because of the drawdown of TGD water levels. Evidence suggests that the recent extremely low water levels were mainly because of the remarkable decline in inflows to the MLYR resulting from precipitation changes and possible human activities. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the effects of the TGD on downstream rivers and lakes will be intensified in the foreseeable future. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intra‐ and interannual export of nitrogen and phosphorus in the subtropical Richmond River catchment,Australia

Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were measured and exports were calculated in the subtropical Richmond River catchment between July 1994 and June 1996. A stratified sampling approach was adopted owing to the extreme and rapid changes in riverine discharge, which varied by up to 10 000 times over the study period. Nutrient concentrations were lowest during baseflow. During storm discharge, dissolve inorganic and organic and particulate nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations increased two‐ to five fold, and followed hysteresis patterns that were attributed to the integration and/or depletion of catchment nutrient sources during an event. Dissolved organic nitrogen and particulate phosphorus were the dominant nutrient forms. Land use and antecedent conditions had a large influence on nutrient concentrations and exports. During the 1995–96 year (slightly above the mean annual discharge) 96% of nitrogen and 98% of phosphorus loads were transported in less than 6% of the time. When averaged across the catchment, monthly riverine nutrient loads varied by up to 1061‐fold during the study and exports were approximately four‐fold greater during the second year relative to the first. The subtropical Richmond River catchment has greater intra‐ and potential interannual variability in nutrient loads and exports when compared with temperate catchments from other parts of the world. It is suggested that in tropical and subtropical Australian catchments with large intra‐ and interannual variation in discharge, the need for parameterizing the antecedent conditions, such as the degree of nutrient storage, may make it difficult to model spatial and temporal (short time‐scale) nutrient exports. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

滨江平原的形成模式是江—湖、洲—陆转化——以长江武汉段武昌北部为例

长江武汉城区段呈SSW-NNE向从城市中心流过.两岸滨江平原是武汉城市的黄金地段.分布于汉阳和武昌沿岸的滨江平原,平面形状似弓形分布于晚更新世岗地与长江之间.研究发现,其形成经历了江-洲-湖-陆的转变过程,是长江中的沙洲并岸的产物.本文以武昌北滨江平原为例,对其形成过程进行了解析.长江武汉蛇山-青山段在明代江面十分开阔...     

中国异常增暖来年江淮流域易发生大洪水

在1987年以来全球气温明显增高的同时,中国气温也显著增高,1997年达到了峰值,2006年又出现了次峰值.为搞清异常增暖对中国旱涝等灾害的发生可能带来的影响,本文重点统计分析了中国年平均气温对全球年平均气温的响应关系,并分析研究了1951～2006年期间中国月年平均气温的年际变化特征和汛期主要多雨带类型及发生严重洪涝区域之间的对应关系.结果发现：（1）3个中国年平均气温异常偏高但8月气温不高的来年汛期主要多雨带和严重洪涝区域都发生在淮河流域（3/3）;（2）5个年平均气温偏高且8月气温也明显偏高的来年汛期长江流域发生了大洪水和严重洪涝（5/5）,特别是其中2个8月气温特高的来年（1954、1998年）汛期长江流域发生了特大洪水和严重洪涝（2/2）.对这个前兆强信号的发现和揭示,不但证明了全球和中国异常增暖对来年中国汛期水旱灾害的重大影响,也对准确预测中国汛期主要多雨带分布类型和江淮流域的大洪水和特大洪水有特别重要的应用价值.     

变化环境下珠江流域洪水频率变化特征、成因及影响(1951-2010年)

气候变化和人类活动导致珠江流域水文变化,变化前后洪水频率分布显著不同.运用滑动秩和(Mann-Whitney U test)结合Brown-Forsythe、滑动T、有序聚类和Mann-Kendall检验法,并用累积距平曲线法获取年最大流量序列详细信息,综合确定样本最佳变化节点,并对水文变化成因做了系统分析.在此基础上,对整体序列、变化前后序列用线性矩法推求广义极值分布参数以及不同重现期设计流量.结果表明:(1)西江大部以及北江流域最佳变化节点在1991年左右;东江流域最佳变化节点与该流域内3大控制性水库建成时间基本吻合;(2)变化后,西江、北江年最大流量持续增加,洪峰强度增大,尤其是西江干流年最大流量显著增加;东江流域年最大流量显著减小,洪峰强度降低;(3)变化后,西江与北江洪水风险增加,尤其是下游珠三角地区本身受人类活动显著影响,加之西江与北江持续增加的洪水强度,珠三角地区发生洪水的强度及频次加剧,而东江洪水风险减小.此研究对于珠江流域在变化环境下的洪水风险评估与防洪抗灾具有重要意义.     

典型枯水年长江干流硅的分布、输送与滞留

于特枯水情年对三峡水库溶解硅和长江干流自涪陵至河口段悬浮颗粒物、溶解硅、生物硅和叶绿素a浓度等进行调查.研究表明,在平水期和汛期末,长江干流水体溶解硅和生物硅浓度和通量在其上游受大坝"滞留"效应的影响呈现沿程降低的趋势,中、下游受"两湖"和汉江等的补充作用有明显升高.在枯水年,长江干流水体生物硅浓度占活性硅(溶解硅和生物硅之和)浓度的2%~5%,显著低于平水年的比例(13%),同时也低于世界河流的平均水平(16%).三峡水库在4-12月份减少溶解硅向下游的输送通量,而在1-3月份增加溶解硅的输送通量;水库在枯水年滞留了大约3%~6%的溶解硅.三峡水库内低的初级生产水平和高的生物硅再生速率是其难以对溶解硅形成有效滞留的主要因素.大坝下游会因清水下泄产生潜在的滞留效应,不过还需要更多的数据去量化.     

Unexpected sedimentation patterns upstream and downstream of the Three Gorges Reservoir: Future risks

This paper summarizes the latest developments, future prospects, and proposed countermeasures of reservoir sedimentation and channel scour downstream of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) on the Yangtze River in China. Three key results have been found.(1) The incoming sediment load to the TGR has been significantly lower than expected.(2) The accumulated volume of sediment deposition in the TGR is smaller than expected because the overall sediment delivery ratio is relatively low, and the deposition in the near-dam area of the TGR is still developing.(3) River bed scour in the river reaches downstream of the Gezhouba Dam is still occurring and channel scour has extended to reaches as far downstream as the Hukou reach. Significantly, sedimentation of the TGR is less problematic than expected since the start of operation of the TGR on the one hand;on the other hand, the possible increases in sediment risks from dependence on upstream sediment control, deposition in the reservoir, and scour along middle Yangtze River should be paid more attention.(1) Sediment trapped by dams built along the upper Yangtze River and billion tons of loose materials on unstable slopes produced by the Wenchuan Earthquake could be new sediment sources for the upper Yangtze River. More seriously, possible release of this sediment into the upper Yangtze River due to new earthquakes or extreme climate events could overwhelm the river system, and produce catastrophic consequences.(2) Increasing sediment deposition in the TGR is harmful to the safety and efficiency of project operation and navigation.(3) The drastic scour along the middle Yangtze River has intensified the down-cutting of the riverbed and erosion of revetment, it has already led to increasing risk to flood control structures and ecological safety. It is suggested to continue the Field Observation Program, to initiate research programs and to focus on risks of sedimentation.     

Shrinking of Dongting Lake and its weakening connection with the Yangtze River:Analysis of the impact on flooding

In this article,the shrinking of Dongting Lake and its progressively weakening connection with the Yangtze River and their impact on flooding before and after the implementation of the Three Gorges Project are analyzed.In recent decades,human activity combined with natural processes has altered the flow of the middle reach channel of the Yangtze River and interfered with its connection with Dongting Lake.This has resulted in progressively more frequent flooding in the area.This study uses hydrological data to analyze the annual maximum discharge and annual maximum stage development of the middle reach of the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake.In recent decades before the Three Gorges Project became operational in 2003,the annual maximum discharge and the maximum stage recorded in the middle reach of the river downstream of Dongting Lake had increased,a result of the weakening of the flood regulation function of Dongting Lake;the annual maximum stage at Luoshan station(downstream,close to the confluence of the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake) had risen by about 2.0 m during 1955-2005,(1.5 m attributed to annual maximum discharge and 0.5 m to river channel deposition).Observational data recorded after the Three Gorges Project was put into operation in 2003,it can be seen that deposition in the Dongting Lake has nearly ceased and the lake's connection with the Yangtze River is stable.It is evident that the flood regulation function of Dongting Lake will continue,and that during the lifetime of the Three Gorges Project,the flood situation in the middle reach of the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake will remain stable.     

The role of baseflow in dissolved solids delivery to streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin

Salinity has a major effect on water users in the Colorado River Basin, estimated to cause almost $300 million per year in economic damages. The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program implements and manages projects to reduce salinity loads, investing millions of dollars per year in irrigation upgrades, canal projects, and other mitigation strategies. To inform and improve mitigation efforts, there is a need to better understand sources of salinity to streams and how salinity has changed over time. This study explores salinity in the baseflow fraction of streamflow, assessing whether groundwater is a significant contributor of dissolved solids to streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). Chemical hydrograph separation was used to estimate baseflow discharge and baseflow dissolved solids loads at stream gages (n = 69) across the UCRB. On average, it is estimated that 89% of dissolved solids loads originate from the baseflow fraction of streamflow, indicating that subsurface transport processes play a dominant role in delivering dissolved solids to streams in the UCRB. A statistical trend analysis using weighted regressions on time, discharge, and season was used to evaluate changes in baseflow dissolved solids loads in streams (n = 27) from 1986 to 2011. Decreasing trends in baseflow dissolved solids loads were observed at 63% of streams. At the three most downstream sites, Green River at Green River, UT, Colorado River at Cisco, UT, and the San Juan River near Bluff, UT, baseflow dissolved solids loads decreased by a combined 823,000 metric tons (mT), which is approximately 69% of projected basin‐scale decreases in total dissolved solids loads as a result of salinity control efforts. Decreasing trends in baseflow dissolved solids loads suggest that salinity mitigation projects, landscape changes, and/or climate are reducing dissolved solids transported to streams through the subsurface. Notably, the pace and extent of decreases in baseflow dissolved solids loads declined during the most recent decade; average decreasing loads during the 2000s (28,200 mT) were only 54% of average decreasing loads in the 1990s (51,700 mT).     

Periodicity of sediment load and runoff in the Yangtze River basin and possible impacts of climatic changes and human activities / Périodicité de la charge sédimentaire et de l'écoulement dans le bassin du Fleuve Yangtze et impacts possibles des changements climatiques et des activités humaines

Abstract

Periodicity of the runoff and the sediment load, and possible impacts from human activities and climatic changes, in the Yangtze River basin during 1963–2004 are discussed based on the monthly sediment and runoff data, and using the wavelet approach. Research results indicated that: (a) Sediment load changes are severely impacted by the different types of human activity (e.g. construction of water reservoirs, deforestation/afforestation); and the runoff variability is the direct result of climatic changes, e.g. the precipitation changes. (b) The impacts of human activity and climatic changes on the sediment load and runoff changes are greater in smaller river basins (e.g. the Jialingjiang River basin) than in larger river basins. The response of sediment load and runoff changes to the impacts of human activities and climatic changes are prompt and prominent in the Jialingjiang River basin relative to those in the mainstem of the Yangtze River basin. (c) Construction of the Three Gorges Dam has already had obvious impacts on the sediment transport process in the middle and lower Yangtze River basin, but shows no obvious influence on the runoff changes. Construction of the Three Gorges Dam will result in further re-adjustment of the scouring/filling process within the river channel in the middle and lower Yangtze River basin, and have corresponding effects on the altered sediment load because of the Dam's operation for the river channel, ecology, sustainable social economy and even the development of the Yangtze Delta. This will be of concern to local governments and policy makers.     

Spatial and temporal variation of extreme precipitation indices in the Yangtze River basin, China

Regional characteristics of extreme precipitation indices (EPI) of precipitation magnitude, intensity and persistence were analyzed based on a daily rainfall dataset of 135 stations during the period of 1961–2010 in the Yangtze River basin, China. The spatial distribution of temporal trends of the selected indices was regionally mapped and investigated by using non-parametric test method. Future projections of EPI changes derived from the output of general circulation model (HadCM3) under the SRES A2 and B2 emission scenarios were downscaled and analyzed. The results show that: (a) there is not a general significant increasing or decreasing trend in EPI for the Yangtze River basin based on historical recorded data; (b) the automated statistical downscaling method-based precipitation captures some spatial distribution of the EPI and the bias correction can improve the simulation results; (c) a mixed pattern of positive and negative changes is observed in most of the nine indices under both scenarios in the first half of twenty-first century, and they increase continuously in the second half of twenty-first century; and (d) the concurrent increase in the heavy rain and drought indices indicates the possibility of the sudden change from drought to water logging in the lower region of Yangtze River basin.     

Analysis of dry/wet conditions using the standardized precipitation index and its potential usefulness for drought/flood monitoring in Hunan Province, China

Local dry/wet conditions and extreme rainfall events are of great concern in regional water resource and disaster risk management. Extensive studies have been carried out to investigate the change of dry/wet conditions and the adaptive responses to extreme rainfall events within the context of climate change. However, applicable tools and their usefulness are still not sufficiently studied, and in Hunan Province, a major grain-producing area in China that has been frequently hit by flood and drought, relevant research is even more limited. This paper investigates the spatiotemporal variation of dry/wet conditions and their annual/seasonal trends in Hunan with the standardized precipitation index (SPI) at various time scales. Furthermore, to verify the potential usefulness of SPI for drought/flood monitoring, the correlation between river discharge and SPI at multiple time scales was examined, and the relation between extreme SPI and the occurrence of historical drought/flood events is explored. The results indicate that the upper reaches of the major rivers in Hunan Province have experienced more dry years than the middle and lower reaches over the past 57 years, and the region shows a trend of becoming drier in the spring and autumn seasons and wetter in the summer and winter seasons. We also found a strong correlation between river discharge and SPI series, with the maximum correlation coefficient occurred at the time scale of 2 months. SPI at different time scales may vary in its usefulness in drought/flood monitoring, and this highlights the need for a comprehensive consideration of various time scales when SPI is employed to monitor droughts and floods.