Yellow River Channel Research Articles

Anthropocene archaeology of the Yellow River, China, 5000–2000 BP

In this paper, we use geoarchaeological and paleoenvironmental data from three localities in the Yellow River Valley, China – Taosi, Sanyangzhuang, and the Yiluo Valley – to argue that human activity in the mid- to late-Holocene contributed to large-scale changes in the behavior of the Yellow River and that these changes were of sufficient magnitude to bend the arc of China’s history. Massive anthropogenic landscape transformation from the later Neolithic into the early Dynastic periods, especially in the Chinese Loess Plateau, increased sedimentation in the Yellow River requiring intensive investment in flood control features to protect an ever-growing population. As the Yellow River channel aggraded, channel gradients became increasingly steep, and avulsions occurred with greater frequency and consequence. Flooding reached an apogee in the first decades of the Common Era when a massive avulsion of the Yellow River ca. 14–17 CE caused the river to shift to the south and east of its former channel. This avulsion and the catastrophic flooding that followed triggered the collapse of the Western Han dynasty. The Yellow River – known as ‘China’s Tribulation’ – has been seen as a natural scourge that afflicts the inhabitants of the fertile North China Plain. However, when viewed in an Anthropocene perspective, it is evident that China’s Tribulation largely is the result of human manipulation of the environment.

Response of bankfull discharge of the Inner Mongolia Yellow River to flow and sediment factors

Bankfull discharge is a comprehensive factor reflecting the channel-forming capability of water flow and the flood and sediment transport capacity of a river channel. It is based on the interaction of the flow, sediment, and river channel, of which flow and sediment conditions play crucial roles. Using data recorded since the 1950s, this paper analyses statistically, the characteristics and variations of bankfull discharge at two stations on the Inner Mongolian reaches of the upper Yellow River. Results indicate that flood season variations in bankfull discharge are nonlinear and are governed by flood peak discharge, mean discharge, and the mean incoming sediment coefficients. Variation in bankfull discharge is related not only to the flow and sediment conditions of the current year but also to those of previous years. The 10-year moving average of flow and sediment conditions can be representative of present and previous years. By considering flood season peak discharge and incoming sediment coefficients as independent impact factors, a formula is derived to determine bankfull discharge. The results can be used to predict the bankfull discharge of the Yellow River channel in Inner Mongolia under specific flow and sediment conditions and provide reference for the purpose of further study related to restoring and maintaining the basic functions of the river channel regarding flood discharge and sediments.

Rates of Organic Carbon Burial in a Floodplain Lake of the Lower Yellow River Area During the Late Holocene

The rapid outward and upward growth of the world's large fluvial sedimentary systems during the second half of the Holocene is a remarkable geologic process that may have buried considerable areas of pre-existing riparian wetlands, which in turn would sequester massive carbon. However, the role of floodplain lakes in the global carbon budget has long been neglected. This article demonstrates the potential of organic carbon burial due to floodplain aggradation during the late Holocene by analyzing a sediment core from a buried floodplain lake in the lower Yellow River area. Based on detailed radiocarbon dating, this study inferred that landscape development in the study area has experienced three disparate stages closely related to the displacement of the lower Yellow River channel. The first stage (∼2250–1700 cal yr BP) represents a widespread pedogenic process while the Yellow River discharged to the northern Bohai Sea through a course much farther north from the present-day position. The subsequent stage (∼1700–1000 cal yr BP) broadly corresponds to the calm period of the Yellow River while it discharged to the southern Bohai Sea through a course slightly north from the present-day position. A lacustrine environment prevailed during this period, sequestering organic carbon at a rate of ∼0.58 kg m2yr1. The final stage (∼1000 cal yr BP to present) is marked by the rapid growth of the floodplain due to the frequent rerouting of the lower Yellow River. This analysis suggests that fluvial sedimentary systems should be integrated into the terrestrial carbon budget when accounting for the aberrant rise of the atmospheric CO2in the face of global cooling during the second half of the Holocene.

Spatial and seasonal distributions of soil phosphorus in a typical seasonal flooding wetland of the Yellow River Delta, China

Soil samples from 0 to 100 cm depth were collected in four sampling sites (Sites A, B, C and D) along a 250-m length of sampling zone from the Yellow River channel to a tidal creek in a seasonal flooding wetland of the Yellow River Delta of China in fall of 2007 and spring of 2008 to investigate spatial and seasonal distribution patterns of total phosphorous (TP) and available phosphorus (AP) and their influencing factors. Our results showed that TP contents in spring and AP contents in both seasons in surface soils increased with increasing distances away from the Yellow River channel. TP contents in surface soils (0–10 cm) followed the order Site A (698.6 mg/kg) > Site B (688.0 mg/kg) > Site C (638.8 mg/kg) > Site D (599.2 mg/kg) in fall, while Site C (699.6 mg/kg) > Site D (651.7 mg/kg) > Site B (593.6 mg/kg) > Site A (577.5 mg/kg) in spring. Generally, lower TP content (630.6 mg/kg) and higher AP level (6.2 mg/kg) in surface soils were observed in spring compared to fall (656.2 mg/kg for TP and 5.2 mg/kg for AP). Both TP and AP exhibited similar profile distribution patterns and decreased with depth along soil profiles with one or two accumulation peaks at the depth of 40–80 cm. Although the mean TP content in soil profiles was slightly higher in spring (635.7 mg/kg) than that in fall (628.0 mg/kg), the mean TP stock was obviously lower in spring (959.9 g/m2) with an obvious accumulation at the 60–80 cm soil depth compared to fall (1124.6 g/m2). Topsoil concentration factors also indicated that TP and AP had shallower distribution in soil profiles. Correlation analysis showed that AP had significant and positive correlation with these soil properties such as soil organic matter, salinity, total nitrogen and Al (p < 0.01), but TP was just significantly correlated with TN and Al (p < 0.05).

Variability of tetraether lipids in Yellow River-dominated continental margin during the past eight decades: Implications for organic matter sources and river channel shifts

Glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) and bulk organic geochemical parameters were examined for a short core from the Bohai Sea, a Yellow River-dominated continental margin. A three end member mixing model using branched/isoprenoid tetraethers (BIT) index, δ13C and C/N shows that the average fractions of soil, marine and plant organic matter (OM) during the period of 1933–2011 are 67.7% (38–92%), 26.1% (0–58%) and 6.2% (0–23%), respectively. Abrupt changes of sedimentary OM compositions around 1953, 1976 and 1996 are synchronous with the Yellow River mouth relocations. The BIT index values (0.33–0.80) present a stronger correlation with crenarchaeol abundance (R2=0.88) than branched GDGTs abundance (R2=0.27), suggesting that variations of marine Thaumarchaeota abundance rather than soil OM inputs is the first order factor controlling the BIT index values, although this proxy has been widely used for soil OM. The comparison between the BIT index, nutrient status and historical Yellow River sediment load indicates that the high sensitivity of the BIT index to the Yellow River channel shifts cannot be explained by a nutrient stimulation mechanism, but instead is likely caused by the restriction of Thaumarchaeota growth in highly turbid water due to the enormous sediment inputs from Yellow River. Our study demonstrates that local conditions should be considered when applying the BIT index as an environmental proxy.

SURFACE SEDIMENTS,SEDIMENTARY SUBENVIRONMENTS AND SHORELINE EVOLUTION OF MODERN YELLOW RIVER DELTA

Based on the data from field samples and remote sensing survey,combined with historical information,we summarized the types of surface sediments and sedimentary subenvironments of the modern Yellow River Delta in this paper.According to the history of the Yellow River channel changes and dam building,the delta was subdivided into seven subenvironments.The surface deposits were dated and the shoreline changes from 1976—2009 reestablished with the seven times of Landsat remote sensing data of the delta.Since the Yellow River channel shifted to the current Qingshuigou course in 1976,the coastal area above the low tidal level has decreased by 318.78km2.

Difference of Soil Nutrient between Topsoil and Subsoil and its Influencing Factors

Taking the representative alluvial plain of the Yellow River-Fengqiu county as example, difference of available K (AK), total (TK) and total (TP) between topsoil and subsoil and corresponding factors was studied. The result shows that average content of AK in topsoil is lower than it in subsoil, spatial variation of AK in topsoil is similar with it in subsoil. TK in topsoil shows more randomness than in subsoil. TP in topsoil has a stronger spatial correlation than in subsoil. The spatial distribution of TK and TP are quite consistent with landform in topsoil and subsoil, but AK does not have this trend. The difference of TK between two layers is related with surface deposit and irrigation condition. AK is mainly affected by surface deposit and farming intensity such as fertilization. The difference of TP is unrelated with elevation, the distance to the Yellow River, roads and water channel and residential areas.

Vegetation dynamics and their response to freshwater inflow and climate variables in the Yellow River Delta, China

Based on SPOT Vegetation NDVI data, streamflow data and meteorological data, the variation of vegetation cover, measured by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and its response to freshwater inflow, precipitation and temperature in the Yellow River Delta and its buffer zones have been investigated for the period 1998–2009. The results show that NDVI has a remarkable regional and seasonal difference. The farther from the Yellow River Channel and the nearer to the Bohai Sea Coastline, the smaller the NDVI value, as influenced by the interaction between freshwater and saltwater on vegetation. Seasonally, high NDVI values appear in summer (August) and low in spring (April). From 1998 to 2009, growing season NDVI significantly increases in the Yellow River Delta. Summer and autumn NDVI have a similar trend pattern to growing season NDVI, while spring NDVI significantly decreases. NDVI shows different strengths of correlation with freshwater inflow, precipitation and temperature respectively and these correlations vary in different seasons and months. Freshwater inflow is a key factor for vegetation dynamics and NDVI variation. Climate features play a dominant role in seasonal variation in vegetation cover. However, the impacts of freshwater inflow and climate variables on vegetation have been greatly modified by a range of human activities such as land use pattern and land use change as well as water diversion from the Yellow River. Overall, the results of this study can be helpful for decision-making of regional ecological protection and economic development.

Historical water level change of Lake Weishan in East China from 1758–1902 AD: relationship with the flooding of the Yellow River

In order to understand high-resolution environmental changes, historical water level changes on decadal and centennial scales have been conventionally analyzed employing documentary records and lake sediments. However, annual records are still limited. Here we report the discovery of water level observations (up to monthly) in the historical literature of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912 AD). We reconstruct the chronologies of annual mean, maximum and minimum water level changes of Lake Weishan from 1758–1902 AD. The chronologies are compared with the precipitation data (dryness/wetness index data) of four stations in the vicinity of Lake Weishan (i.e., Heze, Jinan, Linyi and Xuzhou). We suggest that the annual water level changes are related to the amount of precipitation at the four stations. In addition, the flooding of the Yellow River significantly affects Lake Weishan, always resulting in extremely high annual mean, maximum and minimum water levels in the lake. The flooding in 1871 and 1873 AD even destroyed the banks between Lake Weishan-Zhaoyang-Nanyang and Lake Dushan, thus forming a united lake. In particular, we identify a high water level interval from 1851–1855 AD, just prior to the Yellow River channel change event in 1855 AD.

Influence Analysis of Reservoirs on River Health

Based on the current situation of the Lower Yellow River channel, this paper analyses the factors affecting river health, points out that river channel health is the foundation and key to river health. It evaluates the Yellow River's downstream channel health using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method and gets the conclusion that the Yellow River's downstream channel health has deteriorated in 50 years and has improved in the beginning of this century. This paper analyses and points out that the reservoir to regulate natural flow-sediment process is the primary means that the human impact on river health. The regulation of reservoir has duality that "excessive" regulation will seriously damage river health and "moderate" regulation can better maintain and restore river health. Coordination of flow-sediment relationship is the key to maintaining the health of the Lower Yellow River.

Influence Analysis of Flow-Sediment Processes on River Health

The paper analyses the affecting factors of river health points that river channel health is the key and foundation of river health. It proposes the index system for the Lower Yellow River's channel health and sets the appropriate evaluation criteria and indicator weight. It evaluates the Lower Yellow River's channel health using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method and gets the conclusion that the Lower Yellow River's channel health has deteriorated in 50 years and has not improved until the beginning of this century. Finally, the paper points that river health is closely related to flow-sediment processes and the coordination of flow-sediment relationship is the key to maintaining the health of the Lower Yellow River.

Sedimentary records of natural and artificial Huanghe (Yellow River) channel shifts during the Holocene in the southern Bohai Sea

Two gravity cores collected off the modern Huanghe (Yellow River) delta in the southern Bohai Sea were analyzed for grain size, the total organic carbon (TOC)/total nitrogen (TN) ratio, color diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, 14C dating and 137Cs and 210Pb isotope contents to clarify changes in the sedimentary environment during the Holocene. In particular, the effect of natural and artificial river-course shifts of the Huanghe on the Bohai Sea sediment was investigated. A peat layer, scouring surface and sharp changes in the grain size, TOC/TN ratio, sediment color ( L ⁎, a ⁎) and magnetic susceptibility were identified and are likely to be due to the early-Holocene sea-level rise resulting in environmental changes from coastal to shelf environments in the Bohai Sea. After the sea level reached its maximum at 6–7 ka BP, the lateral shifts in the river course of the Huanghe formed 10 superlobes, and superlobe 7 (11–1048 AD) and superlobe 10 (1855–present) of the Huanghe delta affected the core sites. The northern site of BH-239 has been more affected by the Huanghe since the middle Holocene. Notably, in the superlobe 10 period, the reshaping of the northern Huanghe delta due to an artificial river-course shift from northward to eastward in 1976 (e.g., a∼10 km shoreline retreat due to coastal erosion) was recorded in the core sediments, particularly in terms of the TOC/TN ratio, sediment color ( L ⁎ and a ⁎) and magnetic susceptibility, owing to the huge sediment supply from coastal erosion of the former river mouth area.

The function of constructed wetland in reducing the risk of heavy metals on human health

Irrigation with polluted water from the upper Yellow River (YR) channel of Northwest China has resulted in agricultural soil being contaminated by heavy metals (HMs). This causes major concerns due to the potential health risk to the residents in this area. The present study aims to assess the efficiency of constructed wetland (CW) in reducing the heavy metal contamination in irrigation water and food crops, thus in reduction of potential health risk to the residents. The associated risk was assessed using hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI). The results showed a potential health risk to inhabitants via consumption of wheat grain irrigated with untreated water from YR. However CW could greatly reduce the human health risk of HMs contamination to local residents through significantly decreasing the concentrations of HMs in wheat grain. In theory, the reduction rate of this risk reached 35.19% for different exposure populations. Therefore, CW can be used as a system to pre-treat irrigation water and protect the residents from the potential HMs toxicity.

Fractal characteristics of the main channel of Yellow River and its relation to regional tectonic evolution

Yellow River is the second longest river in China's, and its mainstream passes four different tectonic provinces in North China from west to east. Here, we exploit the relationship between the fractal dimensions of Yellow River channel and the tectonic provinces it flows through. The fractal dimension series D i was obtained for the main channel of Yellow River by applying the successive shift divider method using several different scale ranges. The results show that the magnitude of D i values is related to the uplifting intensity and time of the tectonic provinces where the river channel is located. The intenser and younger the uplifting of the tectonic provinces, the larger the fractal dimension D i of the channel when the scale range is taken as 200 nodes (300 km). Using the same scale range, the D i values also are calculated by applying a successive shift box method. The differences between results from both methods are discussed.

Sediment load and storage in the lower yellow river during the late holocene

.The Yellow River is one of the largest riverine sediment routing system in the world. Like many other rivers, the sediment load of the Yellow River can not be regarded as constant in its long history due to changes in climate and human activities. This study determined sediment storage on the floodplains of the lower Yellow River in five historical periods after the year 602 bc mainly based on data of 93 boreholes, 182 radiocarbon dates in the Huang‐Huai‐Hai Plain and maps of historical changes of the lower Yellow River channel. Furthermore, the mean annual sediment outputs from the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River were calculated in the five periods through investigating the sediment delivery ratio of the lower Yellow River under different conditions of artificial levees. Our findings suggest that the sediment output from the upper and middle Yellow River increased slowly before the year around 1128, but was lower than half of the current value on average. It has been in the past about 1000 years that the sediment output from the upper and middle Yellow River escalated. The Loess Plateau is the principal sediment source of the Yellow River. The comparison of historical changes in sediment load of the lower Yellow River with those in the natural conditions and in human activities on the plateau reveals that the changes in sediment yield from the plateau could be attributed mainly to the variations of population, cultivating area, and climate changes on the plateau.

Characteristics of the Lower Yellow River channel shrinkage and its discriminant parameters

This paper analyzes the changing trends of the Lower Yellow River (LYR) transverse profile parameters and their aberrance points by the time series analysis method. Research results show that there has been a trend of changes in the LYR channel transverse profile parameters since the 1950s. The main river channel has a tendency of shrinkage year by year and the trend will be continued in the future. The main features of the LYR channel shrinkage are remarkable reductions of bankfull discharges and bankfull areas, corresponding decreases of bankfull widths, average bankfull water depths and maximal bankfull water depths, as well as increases of bankfull water levels and width-depth ratios accompanied. The discriminant parameters for threshold of the LYR main channel shrinkage were put forward. It indicates that the LYR main channel began to shrink in the 1970s and has entered into a serious phase of channel shrinkage since the 1990s. The incompatible index of discharged water-sediment processes of the Sanmenxia Reservoir was introduced, which revealed that there was a trend of increasing in the incompatibility between water flow and sediment load. Response relations between the LYR main channel shrinkage parameters and discharged water-sediment processes of the Sanmenxia Reservoir were founded, which indicate that the LYR main channel shrinkage can be mitigated and improved through the regulation of discharged water-sediment processes of the reservoir, especially through the regulation of water-sediment incompatible index. The LYR channel for water and sediment transportation can be restored and maintained.

Mineral compositions and sources of the riverbed sediment in the desert channel of Yellow River

The Yellow River flows through an extensive, aeolian desert area and extends from Xiaheyan, Ningxia Province, to Toudaoguai, Inner Mongolia Province, with a total length of 1,000km. Due to the construction and operation of large reservoirs in the upstream of the Yellow River, most water and sediment from upstream were stored in these reservoirs, which leads to the declining flow in the desert channel that has no capability to scour large amount of input of desert sands from the desert regions. By analyzing and comparing the spatial distribution of weight percent of mineral compositions between sediment sources and riverbed sediment of the main tributaries and the desert channel of the Yellow River, we concluded that the coarse sediment deposited in the desert channel of the Yellow River were mostly controlled by the local sediment sources. The analyzed results of the Quartz-Feldspar-Mica (QFM) triangular diagram and the R-factor models of the coarse sediment in the Gansu reach and the desert channel of the Yellow River further confirm that the Ningxia Hedong desert and the Inner Mongolian Wulanbuhe and Kubuqi deserts are the main provenances of the coarse sediment in the desert channel of the Yellow River. Due to the higher fluidity of the fine sediment, they are mainly contributed by the local sediment sources and the tributaries that originated from the loess area of the upper reach of the Yellow River.

Distribution of uranium isotopes in the main channel of Yellow river (Huanghe), China

Uranium isotopes were measured in waters and suspended particulate matters (SPM) of the main channel of Yellow River, China that were sampled during four field trips between August 2005 and July 2006. The results show that the concentration of dissolved U (2.04–7.83 μg/l) and the activity ratio of 234U/ 238U (1.36–1.67) are much higher than the average U concentrations and activity ratios of global major rivers. Mass balance calculations using the results of simulated experiments and measurement data show that the section of the Yellow River between Lanzhou and Sanmenxia has its dissolved U derived from two sources: suspended sediments (68%) and groundwater/runoff from loess deposits (32%). Both sources are related to the heavy erosion of the Chinese Loess Plateau.

Quantifying drainage components and salt and water balance in YinNan Irrigation District, China, based on a controlled drainage experiment

AbstractYinNan Irrigation District (YNID) is located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River in NingXia, China. Its irrigated area is about 80 000 ha, with one‐third of it for rice production. The major part of its drainage system was constructed between the 1950s and 1970s to maintain the salt and water balances of the district. The system, however, has been reported as draining the agricultural lands excessively by several studies. In addition to field, lateral and main drainage ditches, agricultural fields of YNID are also under the influence of the Yellow River channel and some low‐lying depressions, thus forming a dual drainage system. Owing to difficulties in irrigation inflow measurement, evaluation of the existing drainage system often appears to be elusive. Based on a dual drainage assumption and an on‐site controlled drainage experiment, we present a detailed analysis on drainage components and the salt and water balance of YNID. Results show that, by implementing controlled drainage, shallow drainage from field ditches can be reduced by 60%. Deep drainage from main ditches, the Yellow River channel and low‐lying depressions is relatively stable year around, and it neutralized the potential effect of controlled drainage on salinity increase. Drainage water salinity calculated from the dual subsurface drainage model was consistent with field observations, proving that the dual drainage assumption is valid for the study area. Based on this study, field water management practices of the irrigation district can be better targeted and fairly evaluated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Evaluating current drainage practices and feasibility of controlled drainage in the YinNan Irrigation District, China

The YinNan Irrigation District (YNID) is located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River in NingXia, China. Its drainage system was constructed between the 1950s and 1970s to maintain salt and water balances in the district. The system, however, has been reported draining the agricultural lands excessively, resulting in frequent irrigations and large amount of drainage discharge into the Yellow River each year. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of current drainage practices in the YNID and discusses the feasibility of controlled drainage in order to mitigate the negative impact of agricultural drainage. Based on historical records and available information, drainage discharge has been estimated for different crop fields and ditches. The results show that for the major water use crop, rice, controlled drainage may reduce subsurface discharge through field ditches up to 94%. For wheat and corn, the benefit of controlled drainage is not significant because the major drainage discharge is directly through the main ditch system and the Yellow River channel. The rotational cropping nature and local water management tradition, however, make controlled drainage a very attractive option for water savings and reducing water pollution to the Yellow River.