Variation in reach-averaged bankfull discharge in the Yellow River Estuary in recent years

doi:10.1007/s11707-021-0876-y

Front. Earth Sci.

2021, Vol. 15

Issue (3) : 606-619 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-021-0876-y

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Variation in reach-averaged bankfull discharge in the Yellow River Estuary in recent years

Zhuoyuan YANG¹, Junqiang XIA¹(

), Meirong ZHOU¹, Shanshan DENG¹, Zenghui WANG², Zhiwei LI¹

¹. State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
². College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China

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Abstract

The Yellow River Estuary (YRE) alternatively experienced channel aggradation and degradation during the period 1990–2016. To study the variation in flood discharge capacity during the process of river bed evolution, bankfull characteristic parameters were investigated on the basis of measured hydrological data and surveyed cross-sectional profiles, which was crucial for comprehending the processes and the key factors to cause these rapid changes. A reach-averaged method was presented in this study in order to calculate the characteristic bankfull parameters in the YRE, and this method integrated the geometric mean using the logarithmic transformation with a weighted mean based on the distance between the two successive sections. The reach-averaged bankfull parameters in the tail reach of the Yellow River Estuary (the Lijin-Xihekou reach) during the period 1990–2016 were then calculated. Calculated results indicated that the adoption of a concept of reach-averaged bankfull discharge was much more representative than the cross-sectional bankfull discharge, and the results also indicated that bankfull discharges decreased during the process of channel aggradation, and increased during the process of channel degradation. Finally, an empirical formula and a delayed response function were established between the reach-averaged bankfull discharge and the previous 4-year average fluvial erosion intensity during flood seasons, and both of them were adopted to reproduce the reach-averaged bankfull discharges, and calculated results showed high correlations (R²>0.8) of these two methods.

Keywords channel adjustments reach-averaged bankfull discharge empirical relation delayed response equation Yellow River Estuary

Corresponding Author(s): Junqiang XIA

Online First Date: 13 July 2021 Issue Date: 17 January 2022

Cite this article:

Zhuoyuan YANG,Junqiang XIA,Meirong ZHOU, et al. Variation in reach-averaged bankfull discharge in the Yellow River Estuary in recent years[J]. Front. Earth Sci., 2021, 15(3): 606-619.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-021-0876-y
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2021/V15/I3/606

Fig.1 Sketch images showing (a) the Yellow River basin and (b) the YRE.

Tab.1 Details of average annual hydrological characteristics at Lijin

Fig.2 (a) Temporary variations in water and (b) sediment discharges entering the YRE.

Fig.3 Temporary variations in accumulated volume of channel deformation in the Lijin-Xihekou reach.

Tab.2 Specification of the measurements used in this study

Fig.4 Identification of bankfull channel dimensions at typical sections of: (a) Lijin; (b) Xihekou.

Fig.5 Calculated and measured rating curves between stage and discharge at different sections (a) Xihekou, (b) Lijin and (c) Yihaoba.

Fig.6 Longitudinal variations in the section-scale bankfull discharges and areas in the Lijin-Xihekou reach in the years of (a) 1990; (b) 2016.

Fig.7 Temporal variations in the section- and reach-scales bankfull discharges in the YRE.

Fig.8 Linear regression between the cumulative channel evolution volume (Vb) in the Lijin-Xihekou reach and the bankfull discharges (a) in the Lijin-Xihekou reach; (b) at Lijin; (c) at Yihaoba; and (d) at Xihekou.

Year	$B ¯ b f$ (10²m)	$H ¯ b f$ (m)	$A ¯ b f$ (m²)	$ζ ‾ b f$ (m^-1/2)
1990	4.67	3.77	1669.72	6.39
2016	4.81	3.92	1857.25	5.59
variation rate	3%	3.98%	11.23%	12.52%¯

Tab.3 Reach-scale bankfull channel dimensions in the Lijin-Xihekou reach in 1990 and 2016

Fig.9 Temporal variations in the reach-scale bankfull channel dimensions in the Lijin-Xihekou reach: (a)

A ‾ b f

H ‾ b f

and

B ‾ b f

; (b)

ζ ‾ b f

Fig.10 Sediment rating curve under quasi-equilibrium at Lijin.

Fig.11 Variation in the value of R₂ with an increasing value of n.

Fig.12 Comparison between the measured reach-scale bankfull discharge and the calculations using the empirical relation: (a) temporal variations in the calculated and measured values; (b) correlation degree between them.

Fig.13 Comparison of the measured reach-scale bankfull discharge and the calculations using the delayed response equation: (a) temporal variations in the calculated and measured values; (b) correlation degree between them.

Tab.4 Calibrated coefficients and exponents in different methods and correlation coefficients between calculated and measured reach-scale bankfull discharges

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