Title: | Integrated assessment of the impacts of climate variability and anthropogenic activities on river runoff: A case study in the Hutuo River Basin, China |
Authors: | Omer, A., W. Wang, A.K. Basheer and B. Yong |
Year: | 2017 |
Journal: | Hydrology Research |
Volume (Issue): | 48(2) |
Pages: | 416-430 |
Article ID: | |
DOI: | 10.2166/nh.2016.229 |
URL (non-DOI journals): | |
Model: | SWAT |
Broad Application Category: | hydrologic only |
Primary Application Category: | climate change and land use change |
Secondary Application Category: | hydrologic assessment |
Watershed Description: | 15,900 km^2 Hutuo River, a tributary of the Haihe River located in northeast China. |
Calibration Summary: | |
Validation Summary: | |
General Comments: | Understanding the linear and nonlinear responses of runoff to environmental change is crucial to
optimally manage water resources in river basins. This study proposes a generic framework-based
hydrological model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)) and two approaches, to
comprehensively assess the impacts of anthropogenic activities and climate variability on runoff over
the representative Hutuo River Basin (HRB), China. Results showed that SWAT performed well in
capturing the runoff trend in HRB; however, it exhibited better performance for the calibration period
than for the validation. During 1961–2000, about 26.06% of the catchment area was changed, mainly
from forest to farmland and urban, and the climate changed to warmer and drier. The integrated
effects of the anthropogenic activities and climate variability decreased annual runoff in HRB by
96.6 mm. Direct human activities were responsible for 52.16% of runoff reduction. Climate (land use)
decreased runoff by 45.30% (2.06%), whereas the combined (land use þ climate) impact resulted in
more runoff decrease, by 47.84%. Land use–climate interactive effect is inherent in HRB and
decreased runoff by 1.02%. The proposed framework can be applied to improve the current
understanding of runoff variation in river basins, for supporting sustainable water resources
management strategies |
Language: | English |
Keywords: | |