Investigations into the Effects of Human Activities on the Hydrological Cycle in the Yellow River Basin

Abstract

The Yellow River is the origin of Chinese Nation. The water shortage problem has become so serious in recent years that the social and economy development of the basin has been greatly affected. Investigation into and study of the effects of human activities on hydrological cycle in the Yellow River Basin has very important value to rational allocation, optimized regulation, and effective protection of water resources in the basin. The research principle and method is the natural-artificial dual evolution mode of hydrological cycle. A quantitative analysis was conducted starting from a typical sub-basin in the middle reach of the Yellow River Basin: the Wuding River Basin. Empirical hydrological cycle formulae for the Wuding River are tested to reflect dynamic variation of basin vegetation/land cover. A trend of non-linearity of hydrological cycle in the Wuding River is observed. The principle of the natural-artificial dual evolution mode of hydrological cycle was then applied in the whole Yellow River Basin. The reason for the variation of the hydrological cycle is investigated under natural-artificial driving forces. Results show that natural force takes a main role in evolution of hydro-logical cycle in the source region of the Yellow River Basin. Then as the Yellow River flows downstream, artificial driving forces by human activities such as reservoirs, water and soil conservation measures, and water withdrawal and diversion become more and more important in the evolution of hydrological cycle. The method of nonlinear correction to hydrological cycle is introduced and applied in the Yellow River Basin.