Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #63683
Title: RECENT CHANGES OF YELLOW RIVER SEDIMENT AND SOIL CONSERVATION DECISION NEED

Author
item LIU, B - PURDUE UNIV, W. LAFAYETTE
item Nearing, Mark

Submitted to: Multiple Objective Decision Support Systems for Land, Water, and Environment
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/23/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Yellow River is the second longest river in China and sixth longest river in the world. It is 5,464 km long and has a drainage area of 752,000 km**2. The average annual suspended sediment load was 1512 million tons during the period 1919 to 1985. Three-hundred millions tons of sediment were deposited on the river bed of the lower reach during the period 1955 to 1985. The Yellow River can be divided into 3 reaches: upper, middle, and lower, the Tue Ke Tua and San Men Xia according to hydrologic and sediment characteristics. The drainage areas are 51.3, 40.2, and 8.5% of the total area, respectively. According to our analysis in this study using comparisons of the changes of the different tributaries and the changes in discharge with sediment change, we believer that human activity was the main reason for the sediment decrease. However, more detailed research needs to be done using erosion models. For better long term multiple objective decision making for Yellow River management, several technologies need to be used: a soil loss prediction model (WEPP, for instance) for different conditions and under different conservation practices; a long term climate prediction tool (CLIGEN-Weather Generator, for instance), sediment transport in the river channel; economic evaluation of conservation practices and large structures for flood control or multiple purposes; the geographical distribution of the soil erosion factors and river channel characteristics (using GIS). Then we would propose to use one system to compile all of the information from these technologies and simulate possible alternatives for management to choose the best one. This one system would be a Multiple Objective Decision Support System.