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Hydrological Response to Precipitation and Human Activities—A Case Study in the Zuli River Basin, China

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  • Chenlu Huang

    (College of Urban and Environment Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China)

  • Qinke Yang

    (College of Urban and Environment Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China)

  • Weidong Huang

    (Hydrology and Water Resources Bureau of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Junlong Zhang

    (College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China)

  • Yuru Li

    (College of Urban and Environment Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China)

  • Yucen Yang

    (First Geographic Information Mapping Institute, National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation, Xi’an 710127, China)

Abstract

Precipitation and human activities are two essential forcing dynamics that influence hydrological processes. Previous research has paid more attention to either climate and streamflow or vegetation cover and streamflow, but rarely do studies focus on the impact of climate and human activities on streamflow and sediment. To investigate those impacts, the Zuli River Basin (ZRB), a typical tributary basin of the Yellow River in China, was chosen to identify the impact of precipitation and human activities on runoff and sediment discharge. A double mass curve (DMC) analysis and test methods, including accumulated variance analysis, sequential cluster, Lee-Heghnian, and moving t -test methods, were utilized to determine the abrupt change points based on data from 1956 to 2015. Correlation formulas and multiple regression methods were used to calculate the runoff and sediment discharge reduction effects of soil conservation measures and to estimate the contribution rate of precipitation and soil conservation measures to runoff and sediment discharge. Our results show that the runoff reduction effect of soil conservation measures (45%) is greater than the sediment discharge reduction effect (32%). Soil conservation measures were the main factor controlling the 74.5% and 75.0% decrease in runoff and sediment discharge, respectively. Additionally, the contribution rate of vegetation measures was higher than that of engineering measures. This study provides scientific strategies for water resource management and soil conservation planning at catchment scale to face future hydrological variability.

Suggested Citation

  • Chenlu Huang & Qinke Yang & Weidong Huang & Junlong Zhang & Yuru Li & Yucen Yang, 2018. "Hydrological Response to Precipitation and Human Activities—A Case Study in the Zuli River Basin, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:12:p:2780-:d:188836
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kim, Ungtae & Kaluarachchi, Jagath J. & Smakhtin, Vladimir U., 2008. "Climate change impacts on hydrology and water resources of the Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia," IWMI Research Reports 53025, International Water Management Institute.
    2. Kim, U. & Kaluarachchi, Jagath J. & Smakhtin, Vladimir U., 2008. "Climate change impacts on hydrology and water resources of the Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia," IWMI Research Reports H041713, International Water Management Institute.
    3. Changbin Li & Jiaguo Qi & Shuaibing Wang & Linshan Yang & Wenjin Yang & Songbing Zou & Gaofeng Zhu & Wenyan Li, 2014. "A Holistic System Approach to Understanding Underground Water Dynamics in the Loess Tableland: A Case Study of the Dongzhi Loess Tableland in Northwest China," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(10), pages 2937-2951, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhenghong Zhang & Fu Zhang & Zhengzhong Zhang & Xuhu Wang, 2023. "Study on Water Quality Change Trend and Its Influencing Factors from 2001 to 2021 in Zuli River Basin in the Northwestern Part of the Loess Plateau, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-21, April.
    2. Chenlu Huang & Juan Xu & Linxin Shan, 2023. "Long-Term Variability of Vegetation Cover and Its Driving Factors and Effects over the Zuli River Basin in Northwest China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, January.

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