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Changes in extreme hydrological events

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Water Resources Research in Northwest China

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Abstract

There has been a paucity of information on trends in hydrological extremes. Based on daily precipitation and temperature and streamflow records in the arid region, northwest of China, the temporal and spatial characteristics of hydrological extremes were analyzed during 1960–2010. The results showed that: (1) The temperature extremes show patterns consistent with warming, with a large proportion of stations showing statistically significant trends. Warming trends in indices derived from daily minimum temperature are of greater magnitudes than those from maximum temperature. The decreases in frequency for cold extremes mainly occur in summer and autumn, while warm extremes show significant increases in frequency in autumn and winter; (2) Most precipitation indices exhibited increasing trends across the region, and the precipitation increase in the arid region was due to the increase in both precipitation frequency and intensity; (3) There were increasing trends for frequency of extreme hydrological events from 1901 to 2010, particularly post 1970s. Extreme hydrological events occurred mainly during summer. Based on the results obtained in this study, the frequency, magnitude, and intensity of extreme hydrological events are expected to increase over time; (4) Frequency distribution exhibited a general symmetry along the Tianshan Mountains, distributed evenly in Junggar Basin and Tarim Basin. More extremes were observed in the north-west than that in the southeast. The maximum incidence was in west Tianshan Mountains and generally decreased south-eastward.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    From “Huaijun Wang et al. Hydrological extreme variability in the headwater of the Tarim River: links with atmospheric teleconnection and regional climate. Stochastic environmental research and risk assessment (submitted).”

  2. 2.

    From “Huaijun Wang et al. Hydrological extreme variability in the headwater of the Tarim River: links with atmospheric teleconnection and regional climate. Stochastic environmental research and risk assessment (submitted).”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 830011, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China

    Huaijun Wang

  2. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, Xinjiang, People’s Republic of China

    Yaning Chen

  3. College of Forestry and Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, No. 311 East Nongda Road, 830052, Urumqi, China

    Guili Sun

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  1. Yaning Chen
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  1. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, Xinjiang, China

    Yaning Chen

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Chen, Y., Wang, H., Sun, G. (2014). Changes in extreme hydrological events. In: Chen, Y. (eds) Water Resources Research in Northwest China. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8017-9_10

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