Runoff and sediment yield under simulated rainfall on hillslopes in the Loess Plateau of China

Soil Research ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xining Zhao ◽  
Pute Wu ◽  
Xiaoli Chen ◽  
Matthew J. Helmers ◽  
Xiaobo Zhou

Runoff volume, sediment yield and infiltration on hillslope in the hilly region of Loess Plateau were studied using a rainfall simulator. Two land cover (natural grassland, NG, and bare hillslope, BS) and three different rainfall intensities (2.0, 1.5, 0.75 mm min–1) were implemented. The runoff time of the NG2.0 treatment was 4.8 min earlier, the average infiltration rate was 5.60% lower, the runoff rate was 1.12 times higher and the sediment production rate was 3.28 times lower than those in the BS2.0 treatment. The runoff time for the NG1.5 and the NG0.75 treatments were 6 and 27 min slower, respectively, the average infiltration rate were 10.78 and 23.52% higher, respectively, the runoff rate were 1.67 and 4.25 times lower, respectively, and the sediment production rate were 5.21 and 16.75 times lower, respectively, than those for the BS1.5 and BS0.75 treatments. The effects of slope on sediment reduction were significantly greater than the effects of its runoff reduction, and there occurred more significant sediment-reducing effects with the decrease of rainfall intensity. Efficient use of rainfall runoff in the natural grassland at high intensity should be taken into considerations especially under current conditions of the co-existing drought-caused water shortage and soil erosion in the loess hilly regions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshiaki Mizuno ◽  
Nagahiro Kojima ◽  
Satoshi Asano

AbstractEcosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) is an important concept to the adaption of climate change for a sustainable life. In Japan, it is anticipated that damages caused by sediment production will be increased as the intensity and amount of rainfall are increased by climate change. Thus, we need to know the Eco-DRR effect of the forest for planning sustainable land use by evidence-based data. In this study, we focused on the relationship between sediment production rate and the understory coverage rate of a low mountain forest in the granite area. From the results of the field survey and statistical meta-analysis, the sediment production rate was reduced by 97% in granite area mountain forest when the understory coverage rate was 60% or more compared to when less than 30% by evidence-based data. Accordingly, we found that it will be necessary to keep forests with an understory coverage rate of 60% or more when considering the risk-reducing effect of sediment disaster in granite area mountain forests for the adaption of climate change.


2018 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 01033
Author(s):  
Wei Ying Sun ◽  
Pan Zhang ◽  
Li Li ◽  
Jiang Nan Chen

The areas with high and coarse sediment yield of the middle Yellow River is well known for its severe erosion, high sediment yields. Since 1982 when the 8 key soil and water conservation harnessing regions has been built, the ecological environment has been gradually improved and the amount of sediment and runoff entering the Yellow River has been reduced continuously. Some researchers considered that it was owing to the water and soil conservation works (WSCW), while others believed that it was caused by the rainfall variation, but this has not been quantified for the effect respectively. This paper deals with the effects of WSCW on runoff and sediment variation. The study has been carried out in the Sanchuanhe River watershed, where was listed as one of the 8 key soil and water conservation harnessing regions. The results show that the contribution rate of human activities was 80.2% after 1st harnessing stage (1970-1979), 43.0% after 2nd harnessing stage (1980-1989), in 3rd harnessing stage (1990-1996) it reached 98.4%, and was 44.8% after 4th harnessing stage (1997-2006). With regard to the influence on runoff reduction in the watershed, the contribution rate of human activities was 62.5% compared with the natural factors after 1st harnessing stage (1970-1979), 28.4% after 2nd harnessing stage (1980-1989), in 3rd harnessing stage (1990-1996) it reached 69.6%, and was 37.0% after 4th harnessing stage (1997-2006). The results revealed that human activities exerted the largest effects on the sediment reduction and explained 66.6% of the variation in the specific sediment yield. This study suggests that a combination of human activities and rainfall variation effectively reduces runoff and sediment delivery of the Loess Plateau. Generally The runoff reduction and contribution of rainfall variation to runoff reduction in this area were as large as human activities. After many years' harnessing the great benefit have been obtained in water and soil loss control in this watershed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia-hong LIU ◽  
Guang-qian WANG ◽  
Hai-hong LI ◽  
Jia-guo GONG ◽  
Jing-yi HAN

2004 ◽  
Vol 29 (11) ◽  
pp. 1359-1372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen C. Gellis ◽  
Milan J. Pavich ◽  
Paul R. Bierman ◽  
Eric M. Clapp ◽  
Amy Ellevein ◽  
...  

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