Characterising baseflow signature variability in the Yellow River Basin

Shixuan Lyu; Chunling Guo; Yuyu Zhai; Mengdong Huang; Guotao Zhang; Yongqiang Zhang; Lei Cheng; Qiang Liu; Yuyan Zhou; Ross Woods; Junlong Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118565

Characterising baseflow signature variability in the Yellow River Basin

J Environ Manage. 2023 Nov 1:345:118565. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118565. Epub 2023 Jul 8.

Authors

Shixuan Lyu¹, Chunling Guo², Yuyu Zhai³, Mengdong Huang⁴, Guotao Zhang⁵, Yongqiang Zhang⁶, Lei Cheng⁷, Qiang Liu⁸, Yuyan Zhou⁹, Ross Woods¹⁰, Junlong Zhang¹¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250358, China; Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TR, UK.
² College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250358, China.
³ College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250358, China; Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing, 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory for Resource Use and Environmental Remediation, CAS, Beijing, 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, 100101, China.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing, 100101, China.
⁷ State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China; Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Water System Science for Sponge City Construction, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.
⁸ State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Key Laboratory for Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
⁹ State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, China.
¹⁰ Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TR, UK.
¹¹ College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250358, China. Electronic address: Junlong.Zhang@sdnu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37429090
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118565

Abstract

Baseflow is pivotal in maintaining catchment ecological health and improving sustainable economic development. The Yellow River Basin (YRB) is northern China's most important water supplier. However, it faces water shortage due to synergistic effects between natural conditions and anthropogenic activities. Investigating baseflow characteristics quantitively is, therefore, beneficial to promoting the sustainable development of the YRB. In this study, daily ensemble means baseflow data derived from four revised baseflow separation algorithms (i.e., the United Kingdom Institute of Hydrology (UKIH), Lyne-Hollick, Chapman-Maxwell, and Eckhardt methods) - was obtained from 2001 to 2020. Thirteen baseflow dynamics signatures were extracted to investigate baseflow spatiotemporal variations and their determinants across the YRB. The main findings were: (1) There were significant spatial distribution patterns of baseflow signatures, and most signatures had higher values in upstream and downstream reaches than in the middle reaches. There were also mixing patterns with higher values in middle and downstream reaches simultaneously. (2) The magnitude of temporal variation in baseflow signatures was most strongly correlated with catchment terrain (r = -0.4), vegetation growth (r > 0.3), and cropland coverage (r > 0.4). (3) There was a strong synergistic effect of multiple factors (e.g., soil textures, precipitation and vegetation conditions) on baseflow signature values. This study provided a heuristic evaluation of baseflow characteristics in the YRB, contributing to water resources management in the YRB and similar catchments.

Keywords: Baseflow characteristics; Baseflow signatures; Yellow River Basin (YRB).

MeSH terms

Algorithms*
Anthropogenic Effects*
China
Hydrology
Rivers
Water

Substances

Water