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Frontiers of Earth Science

ISSN 2095-0195

ISSN 2095-0209(Online)

CN 11-5982/P

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2018 Impact Factor: 1.205

Front Earth Sci Chin    0, Vol. Issue () : 146-153    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-009-0021-9
RESEARCH ARTICLE
The Changjiang sediment flux into the seas: measurability and predictability
Daowei YIN(), Zhongyuan CHEN
State Key Laboratory for Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
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Abstract

This paper examines the credibility and predictability of sediment flux of the Changjiang River that has discharged into the seas on the basis of historical database. The assumption of the study stands on the lack of sufficient observation data of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) during peaking flood period, which most likely results in the application of an inappropriate method to the downstream-most Datong hydrological gauging station in the Changjiang basin. This insufficient method (only 30-50 times of SSC observation per year), that obviously did not cover the peaking SSC during peaking floods, would lead to an inaccuracy in estimating the Changjiang sediment load by 4.7×108 t/a (multiyearly) into the seas. Also, sediment depletion that often takes place upstream of the Changjiang basin has, to some extent, lowered the credibility of traditional sediment rating curve that has been used for estimating sediment budget. A newly-established sediment rating curve of the present study is proposed to simulate the sediment flux/load into the seas by using those SSC only under discharge of 60000 m3/s at the Datong station-the threshold to significantly correlate to SSC. Since discharge of 60000-80000 m3/s is often linked to extreme flood events and associated sediment depletion in the basin, un-incorporating SSC of 60000-80000 m3/s into the sediment rating curve will increase the credibility for sediment load estimation. Using this approach of the present study would indicate the sediment load of 3.3×108-6.6×108 t/a to the seas in the past decades. Also, our analytical result shows a lower sediment flux pattern in the 1950 s, but higher pattern in the 1960 s-1980 s, reflecting the changes in land-use in the upstream of Changjiang basin, including widely devastated deforestation during the middle 20th century.

Keywords sediment rating curve      sediment flux/load      conservation of drainage basin     
Corresponding Author(s): YIN Daowei,Email:Nicholas_t_yin@yahoo.com.cn   
Issue Date: 05 June 2009
 Cite this article:   
Daowei YIN,Zhongyuan CHEN. The Changjiang sediment flux into the seas: measurability and predictability[J]. Front Earth Sci Chin, 0, (): 146-153.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-009-0021-9
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y0/V/I/146
Fig.1  Study area—the Changjiang River catchment and distribution of hydrological gauging stations used in the present study
Fig.2  Decreasing trend of sediment load into the seas in the last 50 years recorded at Datong Station—Possibly missing data of sediment load into the seas due to inefficient observation approaches
Fig.3  Annual on-site observation frequency of SSC at Datong Hydrological Gauging Station (13 years available in 1950-1984)
Fig.4  Discharge variability correlating to suspended sediment concentration, established in the upper, middle and lower Changjiang basin: a contrast to their rating curves (inaccuracy of estimating sediment load was discussed in text)
Fig.5  Long-term (811 measuring points of 13 years of 1950 s-1980 s) SSC-Q correlation recorded at Datong hydrological gauging station. Particularly, three scenarios (①,②,③) of SSC distribution in relation to Q were marked (discussion given in text). Sediment Inset represents SSC-Q at Cuntan station of the upper Changjiang basin, where it has been noted that sediment deficiency occurs during the secondary flood peak in 1998
Fig.6  Sediment rating curve of the past 13 years of 1950 s-1980 s established at Datong station (SSC used here are only under 10000-60000 m/s)
Fig.7  Annual sediment load at Datong station (13 years of 1951-1984). (a) simulated on the basis of the established sediment rating curve (one-year model; referring Fig. 6); (b) released by Changjiang Water Resources Commission, and (c) simulated SSC at Datong Station (one-year model; referring Fig. 6)
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