Hydrological and water cycle processes of inland river basins in the arid region of Northwest China

The arid region of Northwest China (ANC) has a distinct and fragile inland water cycle. This study examined the hydrological variations in ANC and its three subregions from August 2002 to December 2013 by integrating terrestrial water storage (TWS) anomaly data derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite, soil moisture data modeled by the Global Land Data Assimilation System, and passive microwave snow water equivalent data. The results show that the TWS in ANC increased at a rate of 1.7 mm/a over the past decade, which consisted of an increasing trend of precipitation (0.12 mm/a). Spatially, in the northern ANC, TWS exhibited a significant decreasing trend of −3.64 mm/a (p<0.05) as a result of reduced rainfall, increased glacial meltwater draining away from the mountains, and intensified human activities. The TWS in southern and eastern ANC increased at a rate of 2.14 (p=0.10) and 1.63 (p<0.01) mm/a, respectively. In addition to increasing precipitation and temperature, decreasing potential evapotranspiration in Southern Xinjiang and expanding human activities in Hexi-Alashan together led to an overall increase in TWS. Increased glacier meltwater and permafrost degradation in response to climate warming may also affect the regional TWS balance. The variations in soil moisture, groundwater, and surface water accounted for the majority of the TWS anomalies in southern and eastern ANC. The proposed remote sensing approach combining multiple data sources proved applicable and useful to understand the spatiotemporal characteristics of hydrological variability in a large area of arid land without the need for field observations.

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A model for simulating the response of runoff from the mountainous watersheds of inland river basins in the arid area of northwest China to climatic changes

Science in China Series D Earth Sciences ◽

10.1007/bf02878853 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 42 (S1) ◽

pp. 52-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

Ersi Kang ◽

Guodong Cheng ◽

Yongchao Lan ◽

Huijun Jin

Keyword(s):

Northwest China ◽

River Basins ◽

Climatic Changes ◽

Arid Area ◽

Inland River ◽

Mountainous Watersheds

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Agricultural Water Use Efficiency—A Case Study of Inland-River Basins in Northwest China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su122310192 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (23) ◽

pp. 10192

Author(s):

Wei Qu ◽

Yanmei Tan ◽

Zhentao Li ◽

Eefje Aarnoudse ◽

Qin Tu

Keyword(s):

Water Resources ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Northwest China ◽

River Basins ◽

Gansu Province ◽

Utilization Efficiency ◽

Inland River ◽

Use Efficiency

Water resources play a vital role in the process of economic development, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Improving the efficiency of water use is an effective way to solve the shortage of water resources. In this paper, influencing factors of water utilization efficiency in three inland river basins (Shiyang, Heihe, and Shule river) in Gansu Province, Northwest China, are investigated. Using survey data of 306 households, results of the multiple linear regression analysis show that management capacity and its strictness in a different basin, irrigation technology and facility conditions, and farmers’ self-government are key factors affecting farmers’ irrigation efficiency. Additionally, factors at the farmer and family level, as well as the differences in natural conditions and economic and social development in different regions, also have a significant impact on water use efficiency.

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