Abstract
The salinization of Bosten Lake, which is the largest lake in the arid or semi-arid region of Xinjiang, has increased. To study the effects of the inflow change of Kaidu River, the main recharge, on the salinity structure of Bosten Lake, the Estuarine, Coastal, and Ocean Modeling System with Sediments (ECOMSED), a basic three-dimensional numerical model, was used. The model is forced by realistic atmospheric forcing and river inflows, and verified by observational data. The model simulations can map the lake water movement processes and offer an understanding of the likely role of river runoff on the Bosten Lake salinity structure. The water mainly flows eastward at the surface and westward at the bottom. The river runoff of Kaidu River significantly affects the salinity structure of the southwestern part of the lake. The Kaidu River discharge mostly flowed northeastward along the west bank of the lake, so with decreasing Kaidu River discharge, the salinity of the region from the inlet of the river to its right (looking in the direction of the flow) subsequently increased. This study helps to the mastering of the dynamic change of salinity and provides some quantity information for controlling the salinization of Bosten Lake.
Highlights
Water salinization in arid and semi-arid areas is a common problem [1] that has occurred in Ebinur Lake, the largest saltwater lake in Xinjiang, northwestern China; the Aral Sea and BalkhashLake, located in the arid regions of Central Asia; Sambhar Lake, located in an arid region of Rajasthan, India; and the Great Salt Lake, the largest lake in Utah, USA [2]
The main aim of this paper is to examine the salinity structure of Bosten Lake and the response of the salinity structure of Bosten Lake to Kaidu River discharge using a three-dimensional numerical model, the terrain-following Estuarine, Coastal, and Ocean Modeling System with Sediments (ECOMSED)
This study provides information on how the discharge of Kaidu River influences the salinity structure of Bosten Lake and for mitigating the salinization of Bosten Lake in the future
Summary
Water salinization in arid and semi-arid areas is a common problem [1] that has occurred in Ebinur Lake, the largest saltwater lake in Xinjiang, northwestern China; the Aral Sea and BalkhashLake, located in the arid regions of Central Asia; Sambhar Lake, located in an arid region of Rajasthan, India; and the Great Salt Lake, the largest lake in Utah, USA [2]. Water salinization in arid and semi-arid areas is a common problem [1] that has occurred in Ebinur Lake, the largest saltwater lake in Xinjiang, northwestern China; the Aral Sea and Balkhash. The impacts of salinization of water are significant, increasing, harmful, and largely irreparable [3]. The environmental, social, and economic costs of water salinization are high [3]. Salinization of lake water affects industry expenditures, agriculture productivity, and the health of people, animals, and environment [4,5,6,7,8]. Some ecological costs are a substitution of halotolerant species for halosensitive biota, changes in the characteristics of aquatic ecosystems, decreased biodiversity, productivity reduction, soil salinization, and decreasing of usable water resources [3]
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