Hydrological Responses to Climate Change in Nenjiang River Basin, Northeastern China

Abstract

Under the background of global climate change, hydrological responses to climate change were investigated in Northeastern China. This study analyses the trends of annual and seasonal temperature, precipitation and streamflow series in Nenjiang River Basin. Correlations between streamflow and meteorological variables were investigated, while parametric method and nonparametric tests were applied to determine the trends and correlations. Data collected from a series of monitoring stations showed significant increasing trends of annual and seasonal mean temperature versus time, whereas during the whole period the annual and seasonal precipitation in the basin did not exhibit similar trends although temporal and spatial variations were detected. Affected by the precipitation and temperature changes, significant trends of decreasing annual, spring and autumn streamflow were demonstrated; the decrease concentrating mainly on the mainstream and tributaries of the left bank. Correlation analyses revealed strong relationships between the streamflow and meteorological variables in Nenjiang River Basin, and the impacts of climate change on streamflow were complicated. Results from this study will help water resource managers for decision makings that address the consequences of climate change.