Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Environmental impact assessments of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir on the most hyperconcentrated laden river, Yellow River, China

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Yellow River is the most hyperconcentrated sediment-laden river in the world. Throughout recorded history, the Lower Yellow River (LYR) experienced many catastrophic flood and drought events. To regulate the LYR, a reservoir was constructed at Xiaolangdi that became operational in the early 2000s. An annual water–sediment regulation scheme (WSRS) was then implemented, aimed at flood control, sediment reduction, regulated water supply, and power generation. This study examines the eco-environmental and socioenvironmental impacts of Xiaolangdi Reservoir. In retrospect, it is found that the reservoir construction phase incurred huge financial cost and required large-scale human resettlement. Subsequent reservoir operations affected the local geological environment, downstream riverbed erosion, evolution of the Yellow River delta, water quality, and aquatic biodiversity. Lessons from the impact assessment of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir are summarized as follows: (1) The construction of large reservoirs is not merely an engineering challenge but must also be viewed in terms of resource exploitation, environmental protection, and social development; (2) long-term systems for monitoring large reservoirs should be established, and decision makers involved at national policy and planning levels must be prepared to react quickly to the changing impact of large reservoirs; and (3) the key to solving sedimentation in the LYR is not Xiaolangdi Reservoir but instead soil conservation in the middle reaches of the Yellow River basin. Proper assessment of the impacts of large reservoirs will help promote development strategies that enhance the long-term sustainability of dam projects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baiyin BLG, Xu FR, Chen XR, Chen WX (2012) Impact of sediment flushing of Xiaolangdi reservoir on downstream fish. Shuili Xuebao 43(10):1146–1153

    Google Scholar 

  • Baiyin BLG, Xu FR, Chen XR, Wang XY, Chen WX (2016) Acute impacts of reservoir sediment flushing on fishes in the Yellow River. J Hydro Environ Res. doi:10.1016/j.jher.2015.11.003

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen JG, Zhou WH, Chen Q (2012a) Reservoir sedimentation and transformation of morphology in the lower yellow river during 10 year’s initial operation of the Xiaolangdi reservoir. Journal of Hydrodynamics, Ser B 24(6):914–924

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen JG, Zhou WH, Han SS (2015b) Ponderations and suggestions on operation mode of Xiaolangdi reservoir in its second stage of sediment retaining. Journal of Hydraulic Engineeering 46(5):574–583

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y, Syvitski JP, Gao S, Overeem I, Kettner AJ (2012b) Socio-economic impacts on flooding: a 4000-year history of the Yellow River, China. Ambio 41(7):682–698

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen YP, Wang K, Lin Y, Shi W, Song Y, He X (2015a) Balancing green and grain trade. Nat Geosci 8(10):739–741

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen YY (2013) The biodiversity of fish and protection measures of Yumenkou to Sanmenxia in mainstream of Yellow River. Journal of Anhui Agricultural Sciences 15:055

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cui BL, Li XY (2011) Coastline change of the Yellow River estuary and its response to the sediment and runoff (1976–2005). Geomorphology 127(1–2):32–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cui BS, Yang QC, Yang ZF, Zhang KJ (2009) Evaluating the ecological performance of wetland restoration in the Yellow River Delta, China. Ecol Eng 35(7):1090–1103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong J, Xia X, Wang M, Lai Y, Zhao P, Dong H, Zhao Y, Wen J (2015) Effect of water–sediment regulation of the Xiaolangdi reservoir on the concentrations, bioavailability, and fluxes of PAHs in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. J Hydrol 527:101–112. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2015.04.052

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fan H, He DM, Wang HL (2015) Environmental consequences of damming the mainstream Lancang-Mekong River: a review. Earth Sci Rev 146:77–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fu CL, Li QY, Wang QB, Li Q (2012) Influence of water and sediment regulation of the Xiaolangdi reservoir on the channel scouring and silting of lower reaches of the Yellow River. Journal of Water Resource & Water Engineering 23(05):173–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang XH, Zhao WH, Zhang WG (2010) The impact of Xiaolangdi dam operation on the habitat of Yellow River carp. Acta Ecol Sin 30(18):4940–4947

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiao HJ, Yan ZP, Wang L (2011) Influence of Xiaolangdi reservoir to the geological environment of the lower Yellow River. Yellow River 33(4):63–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Kong DX et al (2015a) Evolution of the Yellow River Delta and its relationship with runoff and sediment load from 1983 to 2011. J Hydrol 520:157–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kong DX et al (2015b) The hydro-environmental response on the lower Yellow River to the water–sediment regulation scheme. Ecol Eng 79:69–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kong DX, Miao CY, Wu JW, Jiang L, Duan QY (2015c) Bi-objective analysis of water–sediment regulation for channel scouring and delta maintenance: a study of the lower Yellow River. Glob Planet Chang 133:27–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kong DX, Miao CY, Wu JW, Duan QY (2016) Impact assessment of climate change and human activities on net runoff in the Yellow River basin from 1951 to 2012. Ecol Eng 91:566–573

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurunc A, Yurekli K, Okman C (2006) Effects of Kilickaya dam on concentration and load values of water quality constituents in Kelkit stream in Turkey. J Hydrol 317(1–2):17–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li LG (2009) Analysis of properties and causes of deformation of the Xiaolangdi hydro project dam. Advances in Science and Technology of Water Resources 29(4):39–43

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li JP, Dong S, Peng M, Yang Z, Liu S, Li X, Zhao C (2013) Effects of damming on the biological integrity of fish assemblages in the middle Lancang-Mekong River basin. Ecol Indic 34:94–102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li GY, Sheng LX (2011) Model of water-sediment regulation in Yellow River and its effect. SCIENCE CHINA Technol Sci 54(4):924–930

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liermann CR, Nilsson C, Robertson J, Ng RY (2012) Implications of dam obstruction for global freshwater fish diversity. Bioscience 62(6):539–548

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu SM (2015) Response of nutrient transports to water–sediment regulation events in the Huanghe basin and its impact on the biogeochemistry of the Bohai. J Mar Syst 141:59–70. doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2014.08.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu XX, Oeurng C, Le TPQ, Thuy DT (2015) Sediment budget as affected by construction of a sequence of dams in the lower Red River, Viet Nam. Geomorphology 248:125–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lv BB, Yang XZ, Wang XC, Xing JJ, Zhang JJ (2012) The current fishery resources status of Xiaolangdi to estuary reach in mainstream of Yellow River and its protection measures. Journal of Hydroecology 3:015

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma X, Zhang GL, Liu SM, Wang L, Li PP, Gu PP, Sun M-S (2016) Distributions and fluxes of nitrous oxide in lower reaches of Yellow River and its estuary: impact of water-sediment regulation. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 168:22–28. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2015.10.001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miao CY, Kong D, Wu J, Duan Q (2016) Functional degradation of the water-sediment regulation scheme in the lower Yellow River: spatial and temporal analyses. Sci Total Environ 551-552:16–22. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.02.006

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miao CY, Borthwick AGL, Liu HH, Liu JG (2015) China’s policy on dams at the crossroads: removal or further construction? Water 7(5):2349–2357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miao CY, Ni JR, Borthwick AGL, Yang L (2011) A preliminary estimate of human and natural contributions to the changes in water discharge and sediment load in the Yellow River. Glob Planet Chang 76(3–4):196–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miao CY, Shi W, Chen XH, Yang L (2012) Spatio-temporal variability of streamflow in the Yellow River: possible causes and implications. Hydrol Sci J 57(7):1355–1367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peng J, Chen SL (2010) Response of delta sedimentary system to variation of water and sediment in the Yellow River over past six decades. J Geogr Sci 20(4):613–627

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qi P, Qu SJ, Sun ZY (2012) Suggestion on optimizing flow and sediment regulations as the operational methods of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir. Yellow River 34(1):5–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Qi ZF (2011) Analysis on environmental impact of Xiaolangdi Reservoir operation. Yellow River 33(12):97–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Ran LS, Lu XX, Xin ZB, Yang XK (2013) Cumulative sediment trapping by reservoirs in large river basins: a case study of the Yellow River basin. Glob Planet Chang 100:308–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ren LL, Wang MR, Li CH, Zhang W (2002) Impacts of human activity on river runoff in the northern area of China. J Hydrol 261(1–4):204–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shang H, Sun Z, Tian S (2015) Research on dry bulk density of deep sediment in Xiaolangdi reservoir. Yellow River 37(8):7–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi JY, Zhou YL, Mu YZ, Zhang N (2006) Study on influence of operation of Xiaolangdi Reservoir to distribution of water pollution of downstream. Yellow River 28(10):41–42+54

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi Y, Xu ZX, Mao YX (2007) The influence of Xiaolangdi reservoir on riverway water quality purification ability. Environ Eng 25(1):74–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Su C, Zhang JS, Zheng H, Li MH, Wang J (2013) Analysis on eutrophication trend of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir on the Yellow River. Yellow River 35(6):73–74+79

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun LY, Baiyin BLG, Niu CJ, Li C (2012) Acute stress caused by sand discharging on Yellow River carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Xiaolangdi Reservoir. Acta Ecol Sin 32(7):2204–2211

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sun YJ et al (2008) Forecasting water disaster for a coal mine under the Xiaolangdi reservoir. J China Univ Min Technol 18(4):516–520

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun YY, Liu FY, Zheng JR, Fu XT (2004) The geological hazard types along the Yuanqu bank in the Xiaolangdi Reservoir area and their preventive measures. The Chinese Journal of Geological Hazard and Control 15(4):34–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun YY, Wang PY, Zhang DZ (2006) Simple analysis on the influence of Xiaolangdi Reservoir impounding to the coal mined-out area of Jiyuan section in reservoir area. Hydrogeology & engineering geology 33(1):72–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Syvitski J, Higgins S (2012) Going under: the world’s sinking deltas. New Scientist 216(2893):40–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Syvitski JPM, Kettner AJ, Overeen I, Hutton EWH, Hannon MT, Brakenridge GR, Day J, Vörösmarty C, Saito Y, Giosan L, Nicholls RJ (2009) Sinking deltas due to human activities. Nat Geosci 2(10):681–686

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ta WQ, Xiao HL, Dong ZB (2008) Long-term morphodynamic changes of a desert reach of the Yellow River following upstream large reservoirs’ operation. Geomorphology 97(3–4):249–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang GD, Zhou H, Yun L (2005) Analysis of immigrants’ psychological satisfaction on the land acquisition and resettlement caused by Xiaolangdi project. Yellow River 27(4):54–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilt B, Braun Y, He DM (2009) Social impacts of large dam projects: a comparison of international case studies and implications for best practice. J Environ Manag 90:S249–S257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walling D (2008) The changing sediment loads of the world’s rivers. Annals of Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW. Land Reclamation 39:3–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Walling DE (2012) The role of dams in the global sediment budget. IAHS-AISH publication:3–11

  • Walling DE, Fang D (2003) Recent trends in the suspended sediment loads of the world’s rivers. Glob Planet Chang 39(1–2):111–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang EY (2002) Influences of Xiaolangdi reservior water storage on mining activity of adjacent coal mine. China Mining Magazine 11(3):40–42

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang QZ, Wang LL (2011) Analysis of power generation target of Xiaolangdi hydro-junction. Water Resources & Power 29(10):162–164

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang G, Wu B, Wang Z-Y (2005) Sedimentation problems and management strategies of Sanmenxia reservoir, Yellow River, China. Water Resour Res 41(9). doi:10.1029/2004wr003919

  • Wang H, Yang Z, Saito Y, Liu JP, Sun X, Wang Y (2007a) Stepwise decreases of the Huanghe (Yellow River) sediment load (1950–2005): impacts of climate change and human activities. Glob Planet Chang 57(3–4):331–354. doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2007.01.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang LW, Zeng Y, Qu K (2007c) Analysis of water quality change characteristic and influence in Xiaolangdi Reservoir. Journal of Water Resources & Water Engineering 18(3):63–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang P, Dong SK, Lassoie JP (2013a) The large dam dilemma: an exploration of the impacts of hydro projects on people and the environment in China. Springer Science & Business Media, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang P, Lassoie JP, Dong SK, Morreale SJ (2013b) A framework for social impact analysis of large dams: a case study of cascading dams on the Upper-Mekong River, China. J Environ Manag 117:131–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang SJ, Hassan MA, Xie XP (2006) Relationship between suspended sediment load, channel geometry and land area increment in the Yellow River Delta. Catena 65(3):302–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang WX, Meng LL, Hong M, Yan MG (2008) Analysis and evaluation on variation trend of water quality of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir. Yellow River 30(4):47–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang ZR, Liu QJ, Niu SA (2003) Evaluation of influence of impounding and operation of Xiaolangdi Reservoir on prevention of mining water hazards. Hydrogeology & engineering geology 5:61–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang ZY, Wu B, Wang G (2007b) Fluvial processes and morphological response in the Yellow and Weihe rivers to closure and operation of Sanmenxia Dam. Geomorphology 91(1–2):65–79. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.01.022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WCD (2000) Dams and development: a new framework for decision-making: the report of the World Commission on Dams. Earthscan

  • Wu Q, Zhao Z, Liu L, Granger DE, Wang H, Cohen DJ, Wu X, Ye M, Bar-Yosef O, Lu B, Zhang J, Zhang P, Yuan D, Qi W, Cai L, Bai S (2016) Outburst flood at 1920 BCE supports historicity of China’s great flood and the Xia dynasty. Science 353(6299):579–582. doi:10.1126/science.aaf0842

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu X, Bi N, Yuan P, Li S, Wang H (2015) Sediment dispersal and accumulation off the present Huanghe (Yellow River) delta as impacted by the water-sediment regulation scheme. Cont Shelf Res 111:126–138. doi:10.1016/j.csr.2015.11.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xia XH, Dong JW, Wang MH, Xie H, Xia N, Li HS, Zhang XT, Mou XL, Wen JJ, Bao YM (2016) Effect of water-sediment regulation of the Xiaolangdi reservoir on the concentrations, characteristics, and fluxes of suspended sediment and organic carbon in the Yellow River. Sci Total Environ. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.07.015

    Google Scholar 

  • Xia JQ, Li XJ, Li T, Zhang XL, Zong QL (2014) Response of reach-scale bankfull channel geometry to the altered flow and sediment regime in the lower Yellow River. Geomorphology 213:255–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xue XJ, Gong LL, Bao T, Jiang XH (2012) Influence of Xiaolangdi reservoir on moisture conditions and landscape pattern of Yellow River delta wetland. Bulletin of Soil and Water Conservation 32(4):232–236

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu JX (1998) Naturally and anthropogenically accelerated sedimentation in the lower Yellow River, China, over the past 13,000 years. Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography, 1998 80(1):67–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu LS (2002) The Huanghe (Yellow) River: a review of its development, characteristics, and future management issues. Cont Shelf Res 22(3):389–403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu Y et al (2013) Effects of dams on water and sediment delivery to the sea by the Huanghe (Yellow River): the special role of water-sediment modulation. Anthropocene 3:72–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang JJ (2008) Research on the Xiaolangdi immigrants’ social adaptation-take the jiyuan immigrants as an example (Master’s thesis, Soochow University)

  • Zhang S, Gan WB, Ittekkot V (1992) Organic matter in large turbid rivers: the Huanghe and its estuary. Mar Chem 38(1):53–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang JY, Zhang JJ, Shen HB, Lü BB, Wang XC, Xing JJ (2012) Effects of water and sediment regulation at Xiaolangdi Dam on the fish assemblages from Hukou to Sanmenxia section of Yellow River. Chinese Journal of Ecology 31(10):2613–2618

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao G, Mu X, Strehmel A, Tian P (2014) Temporal variation of streamflow, sediment load and their relationship in the Yellow River basin, China. PLoS One 9(3):e91048

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu GQ, Zhao RL, Hu ZP, Hou XL (2012) Impacts of water and sand diversion in Xiaolangdi Reservoir on fish and ecologically sensitive areas in the middle Yellow River. Journal of Hydroecology 33(5):7–12

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41622101; No. 91547118) and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2016YFC0501604; No. 2016YFC0402407). We are grateful to the Yellow River Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources (http://www.yellowriver.gov.cn/) for collecting and archiving the dataset of population and water conservancy facilities in the Yellow River basin and to the organization of the Yellow River (http://www.yellowriver.org/) for collecting and archiving the soil and water conservation data in the Yellow River basin.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Dongxian Kong, Chiyuan Miao, Jingwen Wu & Qingyun Duan

  2. Joint Center for Global Change Studies, Beijing, 100875, China

    Dongxian Kong, Chiyuan Miao, Jingwen Wu & Qingyun Duan

  3. School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, The King’s Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JL, UK

    Alistair G.L. Borthwick

  4. State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100048, China

    Xiaoming Zhang

Authors
  1. Dongxian Kong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chiyuan Miao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jingwen Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alistair G.L. Borthwick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Qingyun Duan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xiaoming Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chiyuan Miao.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kong, D., Miao, C., Wu, J. et al. Environmental impact assessments of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir on the most hyperconcentrated laden river, Yellow River, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 4337–4351 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7975-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7975-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation