Relationship between suspended sediment load, channel geometry and land area increment in the Yellow River Delta

The annual river discharges and suspended sediment loads into the Yellow River Delta show a declining tendency with some distinct fluctuations over the last 50 years. The decrease of river discharge and suspended sediment load and the change in the river channel must influence the evolution of the Yellow River Delta. During this period several new river mouths formed via channel switch at the river delta, and the old watercourse was gradually abandoned. Recently, in years with very low annual suspended load, erosion of land area has been recorded for the delta. The aims of this work are (1) to determine what is the critical suspended sediment load needed in order to maintain the land balance of the Yellow River Delta for two periods before and after 1976 (the last time the channel shifted), and (2) to examine the variation in the channel geometry and gradient in response to changes in suspended sediment load and delta area at the river mouth. In order to estimate these critical values, we used statistical method to analyze the relationships between land area increment, and suspended sediment load and channel geometry. In order to examine the variation in the channel geometry, the channel cross-sections of the Q1 and Q6 were compared. The results show that to maintain the land area balance between 1953 and 1973, when the river mouth was the Diaokouhe, the critical annual suspended sediment load entering the delta was 4.21 ⁎ 108 tonnes/a. After the main channel switched to Qingshuigou in 1976, the critical value to maintain the Qingshuigou mouth between 1976 and 1997 was 1.51 ⁎ 108 tonnes/a. To maintain the land area balance for the entire Yellow River Delta between 1976 and 1997 the critical suspended sediment load was 3.18 ⁎ 108 tonnes/a. The annual mean channel thalweg elevation and channel gradient at the river delta increase with increasing land area increment at the Qingshuigou mouth. The critical channel gradient at the channel reach between cross sections Q1 and Q6 is 0.000095. The channel has narrowed during the time period from 1976 to 1997. Also, lateral channel migration has decreased remarkably, resulting in enhanced hydraulic efficiency of the deltaic channel and artificial levees. This channel geometry evolution was influenced by river adjustment and human activities. These results are of importance for the management of the lower Yellow River channel and the delta. Future water diversion or river damming should consider the balance between suspended sediment delivery and delta growth.