Title: Analysis of the net water loss in the main reach of the Yellow River

Authors: Chunhui Li, Zhifeng Yang, Guohe Huang, Qian Tan, Yanpeng Cai

Addresses: Key Laboratory for Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. ' Faculty of Engineering, Environmental Systems Engineering Program, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada. ' Faculty of Engineering, Environmental Systems Engineering Program, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada. ' CSEE, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada

Abstract: In this study, several methods were employed to identify water losses in several reaches of the Yellow River. Then, a method for calculating the net water loss was developed. Also, annual, decadal and seasonal net water losses were analysed for the main reach of the Yellow River. Net evaporation, seepage and transmission per unit length of the river were estimated. The results showed that in the main reaches, not only the net water loss but also the one per km were varying. The water loss was a major reason for rapid reduction of the stream runoff in the river.

Keywords: river reaches; Yellow River; water balance; net water loss; China; evaporation; seepage; transmission per unit length; stream runoff.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2011.039100

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2011 Vol.45 No.1/2/3, pp.249 - 267

Published online: 29 Apr 2015 *

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