Characterization and mechanism of regional land subsidence in the Yellow River Delta, China

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss historical and recent land subsidence in the Modern Yellow River Delta. Integrated analysis of leveling and relevant background data, including groundwater level, oil extraction, and geological structure, has revealed that land displacement is driven by natural and induced components acting at various depths. Since the 1950s, intense settlements occurred in the modern estuary delta lobes. Between 2002 and 2008, the subsidence center of Dongying and Guangrao exhibited a typical subsidence area with subsidence rates of 28.2 and 64.7 mm/years, respectively. Higher magnitudes are associated with groundwater withdrawals and oil-gas field exploitations, which induce the compaction of a deep clayey layer. There existed a significant linear positive correlation between groundwater level and elevation in the center of the deep groundwater depression cone. The major contributor of natural subsidence is tectonic movements, while moderate sinking due to the natural consolidation of the recent delta subsoil is still acting.