Sediment transport characteristics in a highly erosive catchment based on flood events in the northern earth-rocky mountainous areas, China

Abstract

The comprehensive investigation of sediment transport during flood events offers valuable insights into the hydrological and erosion processes of watersheds. It also plays a crucial role in flood disaster prevention and control. In this study, we focused on the northern earth-rocky mountainous areas of China and employed K-medoids clustering to classify a total of 261 flood events spanning from 1959 to 2021 into four distinct types. By comparing the sediment transport characteristics of different flood types and periods, as well as analyzing sediment source distribution using SSC-Q hysteresis loops, we obtained the following results. 1) The study period witnessed a notable decrease in the annual number of flood events and sediment yield, with reductions of 48.09% and 34.01%, respectively. The suspended sediment concentration during flood events exhibited a substantial decline of 76.54% compared to the baseline period. 2) In the Mihe River Basin, the majority of sediment yield could be attributed to flood events classified as Types A and B. These flood types were characterized by short duration, high peak flow, and substantial runoff depth. Among them, Types A were significantly greater than Types B in terms of runoff and sediment transport. 3) The hysteresis loops observed in the Mihe River Basin predominantly displayed a figure-eight and clockwise pattern, indicating potential sediment sources within the river channel and banks. Addressing sediment challenges and ensuring sustainable watershed management practices require connecting these loop characteristics to future management initiatives, given abundant sediment sources near the Huangshan hydrological station.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

flood events / sediment yield / hysteresis loops / northern earth-rocky mountainous areas

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