Abstract
Check-dams are the most important measure to control the soil and water loss in highly erodible catchments on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Based on the data of check-dams from 1950 to 2014, our study roundly analyzed the regional distribution, function and the problems of check-dams on the Loess Plateau. A total of 17,094 check-dams with a storage capacity of over 100,000 m3 and an average density of 0.027 counts km−2 were installed on the Loess Plateau. Check-dams’ densities varied greatly in the Qinghai Province, Gansu Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Shaanxi Province, Shanxi Province and Henan Province. The highest density of check-dams reached 0.088 counts km−2 in Shaanxi Province, whereas the lowest density of check-dams was only 0.005 counts km−2 in Qinghai Province. However, after decades of operation, 3025 large check-dams and 2257 medium check dams are dangerous and have security risks, which are seriously threatening downstream safety. The dangerous rate of check-dams is high. Specifically, the check-dams in Shanxi and Qinghai Province have the highest dangerous rates, with both exceeding 53%. Therefore, there is an urgent need for carrying out reinforcement of the dangerous check-dams. The results are helpful to policymakers to extend and develop check-dams.
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Acknowledgments
The work was supported by the Open Research Program of State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection (SKLGP2020K009), the Open Research Program of the Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Processes, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KLMHESP-20-03), and the CRSRI Open Research Program (CKWV2019762/KY).
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Guo, Wz., Wang, WL., Xu, Q. et al. Distribution, failure risk and reinforcement necessity of check-dams on the Loess Plateau: a review. J. Mt. Sci. 18, 499–509 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-020-6090-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-020-6090-7