Rainfall, runoff, and suspended sediment delivery relationships in a small agricultural watershed of the Three Gorges area, China

Following construction of the Three Gorges Dam, many farmers resettled in surrounding mountain areas and cultivated marginal lands, which are mostly on steep slopes with soil of poor structure. In general, high soil loss rates occur during intense storms. Therefore, soil erosion is a major environmental problem in the Three Gorges area (TGA) of China. Understanding and quantifying sediment load is important for sustainable agriculture and the environment in this region. This paper analyzes the relationships between rainfall, runoff, and sediment transport in the Wangjiaqiao watershed. Strong seasonal and monthly variability in sediment load was found. Sediment was strongly transported during summer months, a period when frequent flood events of high magnitude and intensity occurred. Analysis of the relationships between precipitation, discharge and sediment transport at an individual event scale showed significant correlations between total precipitation, peak discharge, total water yield, maximum 30 min rainfall intensity, and sediment-related variables. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that rainfall amount is the major cause of runoff, while events producing a large discharge in a short time play an important role in inducing severe soil erosion. During 40 flood events, three different types of hysteretic loops were observed: clockwise (28 events, 70%), figure-eight (5 events, 12.5%), and complex (7 events, 17.5%). The results of this study confirm the complex and heterogeneous nature of sediment response in the Wangjiaqiao watershed.

► Complex hydrological and sediment response were confirmed in the study watershed. ► Most of the sediment load was produced by a small number of runoff events. ► Rainfall was the most relevant factor controlling the hydrological response. ► Three types of SSC-Q relationships were found.