Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Preliminary assessment of the human and natural contributions to the changes of Weihe River runoff using SWAT model

Author(s):

Hui Shao, Jianen Gao *, Yuanxing Zhang

Recieved Date: 2013-06-22, Accepted Date: 2013-10-04

Abstract:

Climate change and human activity had been identified as the main factors that influence watershed hydrological cycle. Since 1990s, water discharge had declined significantly in Weihe River, which is the biggest branch of Yellow River and a typical river in Northern China with characteristics like water scarcity, high sediment concentration and pollution. In this paper, data of four main river gauging stations and the SWAT model were employed for analysing the runoff response to climate change and human activity during 1990-2008. Results indicated that water discharge in the upper reach of Weihe River basin (Linjiacun station) declined at the rate of 22.1×10⁸ m³/yr; climate change and human activity relatively contributed 23% and 77% to this variation. With the great human impact in the middle and lower reaches (so called the Guanzhong region) the runoff reduction rate grew up to 51.6×10⁸ m³/yr at Huaxian station and the relative contribution were 12% and 88% for weather and human impact, respectively. During 1990-2008, human activity had placed more significant effect in non-flood season with an average relative runoff reduction ratio at 60.13%, while this value in flood season was only 40.08%. Great expansion of the soil and water conservation practices and the operating reservoir system were the main factors of human impact toward runoff. Therefore, making a reasonable united water resource management regulation as well as optimising the arrangement of soil and water conservation measures would be significant for guaranteeing the ecosystem health and the sustainable development of Weihe River.

Keywords:

Human activity, climate change, SWAT model, Weihe River, runoff, assessment, relative contribution, soil and water conservation, river ecosystem, watershed

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2013
Volume: 11
Issue: 3&4
Category: Environment
Pages: 2629-2633

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