The Relationship of Erosion and Sediment Yield in a Yellow River Watershed System

摘要

Erosion and sediment yield data was evaluated from the Dalihe Watershed, an important branch of Yellow River. It was concluded that long-term erosion and sediment yield in the watershed system reached balance, and the sediment delivery ratio was approximate equal to 1. However, as a result of short-term temporal variability from different rainfall events and annual rainfall trends, the sediment delivery ratio can reach more than 1 or less than 1 because the sediment transport in the watershed can be delayed or transported in subsequent by runoff erosion events. The sediment delivery ratio is closely correlated with runoff depth ratio, rainfall distribution, and the flood peak amplitude ratio in the watershed system. The spatial and temporal characteristics of the delivery ratio in watersheds at various scales and the factors that influence delivery ratio in the watershed systems are presented here. The relationship of erosion and sediment yield is illustrated and models based on the data are discussed in this paper.