Temporal variations of water discharge and sediment load of Huanghe River, China

Based on the data from gauging stations,the changes in water discharge and sediment load of the Huanghe (Yellow)River were analyzed by using the empirical mode decomposition(EMD)method.The results show that the periodic oscillation of water discharge and sediment load of the Huanghe River occurs at the interannual,decadal,and multi-decadal scales,caused by the periodic oscillations of precipitation,and El Nio/Southern Oscillation(ENSO)affects water discharge by influencing precipitation distribution and contributes to periodic varations in precipitation and water discharge at interannual timescale.The water discharge and sediment load of the Huanghe River have decreased since the 1960s under the influence of precipitation and huamn activities,and human activities attribute more than precipitation to the reduction in the water discharge and sediment load,furthermore,water abstraction and water-soil conservation practices are the main causes of the decrease in water discharge and sediment load,respectively.The reduction in sediment load has directly impacted on the lower reaches of the Huanghe River and the river delta, causing considerable erosion of the river channel in the lower reaches since the 1970s along with River Delta changing siltation into erosion around 2000.     

APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING AND FUZZY MATH TO STUDY OF SUSPENDED SEDIMENTS DIFFUSION NEAR THE HUANGHE RIVER DELTA

Sediment grain size parameters and the percent of sand and clay near the Huanghe River Delta are used to estimate the Huanghe Riser load diffusion with fuzzy analysis. The results are confirmed by field investigation and the landform changes of the river estuary and sediment diffusive pattern indicated by Landsat MSS, TM images.     

Changes in Huanghe （Yellow） River estuary since artificial re-routing in 1996

With the combination of historical data, field observations and satellite remotely sensed images(Landsat TM/ETM and CBERS), changes in Huanghe (Yellow) River estuary since 1996 when artificial Chahe distributary was built up were studied, mainly including water and sediment discharge from the river, tides, tidal currents, suspended sediment diffusion, coastline changes and seabed development. During following six and half years (up to the end of 2002), runoff and sediment loads into the river mouth declined dramatically. At the beginning of the re-routing, abundant sediment loads from the river filled up nearshore shallow water areas so that the newborn delta prograded quickly. With rapid decrease of sediment loads transported to the estuary, the delta retrograded. In 1997, subaerial tip of the abandoned delta receded 1.5km; its annual mean recession rate was about 150 m in following years. In addition, marine dynamic condition near the artificial outlet had also changed. Under the interaction of ocean and river flow, most of incoming sediment loads deposited in the vicinity of the outlet. Seabed erosion occurred at the subaqueous delta front. Between 1999 and 2002, erosion thickness averaged at 0.3 m in the subaqueous delta of 585.5 km2.     

Morphodynamic evolution of the Xiaoqing River mouth: a Huanghe River-derived mixed energy estuary

In an estuary,tidal,wave and other marine powers interact with the coast in different ways and affect estuary morphology as well as its evolution.In the Huanghe(Yellow) River estuaries and nearby delta,there are many small sediment-affected estuaries with a unique morphology,such as the Xiaoqing River estuary.In this study,we investigated the special evolution and genetic mechanism of the Xiaoqing River estuary by analyzing graphic and image data with a numerical simulation method.The results show that NE and NE-E tide waves are the main driving force for sandbar formation.Sediment shoals have originated from huge amounts of sediment from the Huanghe River,with consequent deposition at the Xiaoqing River mouth.The lateral suspended sediments beyond the river mouth move landward.Siltation takes place on the northern shoreline near the river mouth whereas erosion occurs in the south.The deposits come mainly from scouring of the shallow seabed on the northern side of the estuary.Storm surges speed up deposition in the estuary.Development of the sediment shoals has occurred in two steps involving the processes of growth and further southward extension.Although the southward shift increases the river curvature and length,the general eastward orientation of the estuary is unlikely to change.Processes on the adjacent shorelines do not affect the development of the sediment shoals.The study presents a morphodynamic evolutionary model for the Xiaoqing River estuary,with a long-term series cycle,within which a relatively short cycle occurs.     

An approach to the age of Huanghe River in shelf regions of Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea

There are two different opinions on the formation history of Huanghe （Yellow） River. One postulates that Huanghe River might have come into existence before Tertiary. The other supposes that it joined up into a long river only in the last stage of Late Pleistocene. The appearance of Huanghe River is believed to have close relation to the uplifting of Tibetan Plateau. It is not likely that it could have come into being before its high elevation riverhead was formed. Today Huanghe River occurred probably during the recession of the sea in glacial periods. In the last glacial age, the climate was very harsh in the area north of the modern estuary of Changjiang （Yangtse） River; some areas were permafrost and the others barren deserts. At that time, eolation was the major exogenic force on exposed shelf. Beginning from 12 Ka BP, the global climate warmed up, resulting in gradual disappearance of continental mountain glaciers retreated, and sea level rose. Consequently, Huanghe River was replenished with water to become modern river system. With continued rising of sea level, Huanghe River delta moved continuously eastward.     

MONITORING THE DIFFUSION OF SUSPENDED SEDIMENTS AND STABILITY OF TIDAL RADIAL SAND RIDGES AREA USING MULTI-SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING DATA

Nine Landsat TM tapes and images and MSS images, 10 NOAA tapes and images and 1 SAR image from 1973 to 1997 were used to analyse the diffusion of suspended sediments and the change of tidal radial sand ridges in the northern part of the Changjiang River delta, the South Yellow Sea. The results showed that the diffusion of suspended sediments was controlled by the tide, net current, and submarine topography in this area. The distribution of suspended sediments had close relationship with thesubmarine topography. The old Huanghe River delta and the Changjiang River comprise the main sediment supply for the formation of radial sand ridges, whose evolution can be divided into three stages since the Huangbe River changed its course and flowed northward into the Bohai Sea.     

SEDIMENTARY EVOLUTION OF MODERN HUANGHE RIVER DELTA LOBE

The sedimentary history of a Huanghe(Yellow)River delta lobe can be divided into four stages.In the first stage,the crevasse splays and short-lived distributary channel deposits in the subaerial deltaand sheet silt in the subaqueous delta were well developed.In the second stage,further differentiationof sedimentary environments occurred in the subaerial delta lobe(distributary channel,natural levee,flood plain,central lower delta plain and lateral lower delta plain)and the subaqueous delta lobe(prodelta,delta front and delta lateral).In the third stage,crevasse splay and short-lived distributarychannel deposits mostly occurred in the lower or lower-middle part of the subaerial delta lobe,andsheet silt accumulated off the river mouth.In the fourth stage,the abandoned lobe was reworked.The common vertical sequence of the modern Huanghe River delta showed alternating clayey silt andsilt layers.A complete sequence from prodelta to upper delta plain was commonly composed of twoor more delta lobes.     

长江三角洲滩涂信息的遥感提取及时空变化

海岸带滩涂是重要的生态资源,对于环境保护和区域可持续发展具有重要意义,是学术界研究的热点区域。但由于滩涂周期性地被潮水淹没,通达性较差,传统的测量方式难以满足这一高度动态环境的变化监测需求,因此遥感观测方式成为一个潜在的选择。但遥感观测受成像方式、大气条件和潮情的影响,其应用仍面临很大的挑战。本文以苏北至上海南汇边滩沿岸作为研究区域,首先选择了1975年以来每年潮位最低的Landsat影像数据作为数据源,利用水边线作为滩涂的外边界,植被线或围垦大堤作为内边界提取滩涂面积;然后利用ArcGIS软件对获取的滩涂数据进行分析,以此来研究长江口滩涂的时空变化特征。结果表明：① 1975年以来研究区域滩涂面积整体上呈降低趋势;1990s之前滩涂面积基本保持稳定,1990s之后降低趋势较为明显;1995年前后研究区圆陀角以北的江苏海岸和以南的长江河口区域滩涂面积达到最大值,分别为1101.2 km²、1495.5 km²,至2017年,二者面积分别降为649.5 km²、1043.4 km²,1990年至今总体降低速率为21.7 km²/a;② 流域来沙减少和围垦、深水航道等河口工程是长江口滩涂面积减少的主要控制因素。     

THE SYSTEMATIC STRUCTURE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES OF THE HUANGHE RIVER DELTA

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Sustainable development and coastal management of tidal flat in Jiangsu Province, China

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黄河三角洲南部冲洪积扇区地下淡水调蓄条件研究

黄河三角洲南部冲洪积扇区浅层地下水由于长期大量开发利用,早已形成了区域性漏斗群。通过对漏斗区地下水赋存条件和调蓄条件的分析,提出了由新建的引黄主干渠引黄河水,采用河渠、坑塘内施工回灌引渗,以及丰水期大气降水地表径流拦蓄引渗和引黄河水引渗回灌联合调度的方案,并从调蓄资源增量、调蓄可行性和调蓄效益等方面进行了论证。     

A flume test on erosion mechanism for an abandoned section of the Huanghe (Yellow) River Delta

The erosion mechanisms of abandoned coastal section are understood detailedly by flume experiment, which play an important role to the offshore engineering facilities. A movable-bed physical model has been used to investigate the coastal erosion of an abandoned section of the Huanghe (Yellow) River Delta. The theory of physical scale models is discussed and a method for constructing the representative seabed section is developed. The results indicate that during the period initially after the abandonment of the delta the entire bed experienced rapid erosion because the seabed was steep and prone to liquefaction that resulted from storm wave action. After this initial period, a balance of erosion and accretion was established, and the beach profile equilibrated with a point of balance present on the profile. The experimental results indicate that the volume of deposition was about half that of the erosion. Wave action may also induce significant stratal changes through its interaction with the soft seabed. The major morphological features developed in the model delta section were found to be qualitatively comparable with those observed in the prototype. A distorted modeling law that maintains the similarity of the modeled and prototype equilibrium beach profiles is proposed. Experimental results show that the distorted modeling is able to reproduce the beach-face slope in nature, and the model also successfully reproduced three historical evolutionary stages of erosion.     

Sustainable development and coastal management of tidal flat in Jiangsu Province, China

With huge area, favorable light, heat and water conditions, rich biological diversity, and a unique ecological system of submarine sand ridges, Jiangsu tidal flat has great significance to its economic development. Based on the geomorphological characteristics, Jiangsu tidal flat is dynamically divided into stable, erosional and accumulative types. In light of resources distribution, evolution rules of Jiangsu tidal flat, existing problems in coastal management, exploitation and utilization, the sustainable development theory is applied to guide the comprehensive exploitation and utilization of tidal flat. Taking different regions with different local conditions in consideration, and in order to make economic development coordinate with local resources and environments, four regional sustainable development models, i.e. (A) Abandoned Huanghe (Yellow) River delta section for salt and aquatic products industries, (B) Sheyang section for reed, aquaculture and rare animal protection, (C) Dafeng and Dongtai section for agricultural comprehensive exploitation, (D) Nantong section for aquaculture and agriculture, are suggested. Meanwhile, the paper takes the guiding ideology of sustainable development to be reflected in modern integrated coastal management and legislation. Supported by Natural Sciences Foundation of Fujian (D 97006) and State Pilot Laboratory of Coast & Island Exploitation, Nanjing University.     

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 river 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 river 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”.     

IMPACTS OF SEA LEVEL RISE ON COASTAL EROSION IN THE CHANGJIANG RIVER DELTA AND NORTH JIANGSU COASTAL PLAINO

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Impacts of sea level rise on coastal erosion in the Changjiang River delta and north Jiangsu coastal plain

At present, approximately 36% of coasts are experiencing net erosion in the Changjiang River delta and the north Jiangsu coastal plain. Future sea level rise will accelerate the process of coastal erosion. According to the ratio of the calculated value of coast retreat by Bruun rule to the estimated value by using measured data, the proportion affected by sea level rise in total coastal erosion has been estimated in this paper. When sea level rises by 20cm, the proportion determined by sea level rise will increase from 1.0% at present to 2.2% in the future in the coasts of abandoned Huanghe River delta and from 8.5%–9.6% to 13.5%–15.2% in the north and south banks of the Changjiang River delta. This result is lower than that from the similar research in the world, and this phenomenon is related with the special development process of the coasts in this area. The mechanism of accelerating coastal erosion by sea level rise is that sea level is will increase the intensity of tidal current, wave and storm surge and decrease the ability to reduce the force of waves on the tidal flat and coastal wetland due to the loss of their areas. Therefore, the length of erosion coasts will increase, the sedimentation rate of accretion coasts will decrease or even turn accretion into erosion, the width of tidal flat will reduce and coastal slope will increase. So the project of coastal protection of this area must be reinforced. Project funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.     

Distribution and provenance of detrital minerals in southern coast of Shandong Peninsula

Detrital minerals of 137 offshore and 22 river sediment samples collected from Qingdao coastal areas have been analyzed. Four mineral assemblage provinces can be classified by Q-mode cluster analysis. Factor analysis identifies two major factors that account for the total variability in most common minerals: 1) based on the relationship of quartz, hornblende, actinolite, micas, and authigenic pyrite, 41.55% of the variability is related to sediment sources; 2) based on the relationship of epidote, garnet, sphere, and ilmenite, 23.21% can be related to strong hydrodynamic conditions that control transport and sedimentation. By comparing mineral compositions of river waters in the study area, the following four mineral provenances can be identified. The Qingdao-Laoshan nearshore area has a quartz-feldspar-epidote-hornblende-limenite-limonite-sphene assemblage, which is largely attributed to relict sediment and coastal erosion. The Jimo-Haiyang nearshore area has a quartz-feldspar-hornblende-epidote-limonite-mica-actinolite assemblage, derived largely from the Wulong River and Rushan River, and is also affected by the Huanghe River, while the Qianliyan Island area in the deeper offshore area separated by a mud belt has a similar assemblage. The Haiyang-Rushan nearshore area has a quartz-feldspar-hornblende-epidote-micas-limonite assemblage, indicating multiple sources from the Rushan River, the Wulong River, the Huanghe River, and coastal erosion. The central area, located in an eddy center, has a mica-authigenic pyrite-hornblende-quartzfeldspar assemblage, indicating multiple sources dominated by Huanghe River distal sediments.     

Seasonal variation of tidal prism and energy in the Changjiang River estuary:a numerical study

Tidal rivers are intrinsically complex because tidal propagation is influenced by river discharge. This study aims to examine the seasonal variation of tidal prism and energy variance in the tidal river of the Changjiang(Yangtze) River estuary in China. In order to quantify the behaviour of river and tide,we use numerical modelling that has been validated using measured data. We conduct our analysis by quantifying the discharge and energy variance in separate components for both the river and the tide,during wet and dry seasons. We note various definitions of tidal prism and explore the difference between tidal discharge on the flood and ebb and tidal storage volume. The results show that the river discharge attenuates the tidal motion and reduces the tidal flood discharge but the tidal storage volume is approximately constant with different riverine discharge since part of the fresh water discharge is intercepted and captured in the estuary due to the backwater effect. It appears that the tidal discharge adjusts according to the variation of river discharge to keep a constant tidal storage volume. An analysis of the hydraulics shows that the transition from tidal dominance(at the mouth) to river dominance(upstream) depends on the location of tidal current reversal which varies from wet season to dry season. Duringthe wet season,the Changjiang River estuary is totally dominated by energy from fresh water discharge.     

Water quality evaluation in Tidal River reaches of Liaohe River Estuary, China using a revised QUAL2K model

Rivers in the Liaohe River Estuary area have been seriously polluted by discharges of wastewater containing petroleum pollutants and nutrients. In this paper, The Enhanced Stream Water Quality Model (QUAL2K) and its revised model as well as One-dimensional Tide Mean Model (1D model) were applied to predict and assess the water quality of the tidal river reach of the Liaohe River Estuary. Dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) and total phosphorus (TP) were chosen as water quality indices in the two model simulations. The modelled results show that the major reasons for degraded rivers remain petroleum and non-point source pollution. Tidal water also has a critical effect on the variation of water quality. The sensitivity analysis identifies that flow rate, point load and diffuse load are the most sensitive parameters for the four water quality indices in the revised QUAL2K simulation. Uncertainty analysis based on a Monte Carlo simulation gives the probability distribution of the four water quality indices at two locations (6.50 km and 44.84 km from the river mouth). The statistical outcomes indicate that the observed data fall within the 90% confidence intervals at all sites measured, and show that the revised QUAL2K gives better results in simulating the water quality of a tidal river.     

A contrast analysis on the load character of the Changjiang River and the Huanghe River

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