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Variations of annual and seasonal runoff in Guangdong Province, south China: spatiotemporal patterns and possible causes

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Abstract

In this study, we thoroughly analyzed spatial and temporal distributions of runoff and their relation with precipitation changes based on monthly runoff dataset at 25 hydrological stations and monthly precipitation at 127 stations in Guangdong Province, south China. Trends of the runoff and precipitation are detected using Mann–Kendall trend test technique. Correlations between runoff and precipitation are tested using Spearman’s and Pearson’s correlation coefficients. The results indicate that: (1) annual maximum monthly runoff is mainly in decreasing tendency and significant increasing annual minimum monthly runoff is observed in the northern and eastern Guangdong Province. In addition, annual mean runoff is observed to be increasing at the stations located in the West and North Rivers and the coastal region; (2) analysis of seasonal runoff variations indicates increasing runoff in spring, autumn and winter. Wherein, significant increase of runoff is found at 8 stations and only 3 stations are dominated by decreasing runoff in winter; (3) runoff changes of the Guangdong Province are mainly the results of precipitation changes. The Guangdong Province is wetter in winter, spring and autumn. Summer is coming to be drier as reflected by decreasing runoff in the season; (4) both precipitation change and water reservoirs also play important roles in the increasing of annual minimum monthly streamflow. Seasonal shifts of runoff variations may pose new challenges for the water resources management under the influences of climate changes and intensifying human activities.

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Acknowledgments

This work is financially supported by the Key International Collaboration Project (Grant No.: 51320105010), the Leading Expert Program of Anhui Province, China, and is fully supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. CUHK441313). Our cordial gratitude is also extended to the editor, Prof. Dr. Clemens Simmer, and also three anonymous reviewers for their professional and pertinent comments and suggestions which are greatly helpful for further improvement of the quality of this manuscript. Besides, we again owe our special thanks to the editor, Prof. Dr. Clemens Simmer, for his hard work and his great efforts in processing this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Water Resources and Environment, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China

    Qiang Zhang & Mingzhong Xiao

  2. Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Water Security in Southern China of Guangdong High Education Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China

    Qiang Zhang & Mingzhong Xiao

  3. School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Suzhou University, Anhui, 234000, China

    Qiang Zhang

  4. Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

    Vijay P. Singh

  5. Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P O Box 1047, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway

    Chong-Yu Xu

  6. Department of Geography and Resource Management, and Institute of Environment, Energy and Sustainability, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Jianfeng Li

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  1. Qiang Zhang
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  2. Mingzhong Xiao
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  3. Vijay P. Singh
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  4. Chong-Yu Xu
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Correspondence to Qiang Zhang.

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Responsible Editor: C. Simmer.

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Zhang, Q., Xiao, M., Singh, V.P. et al. Variations of annual and seasonal runoff in Guangdong Province, south China: spatiotemporal patterns and possible causes. Meteorol Atmos Phys 127, 273–288 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-014-0360-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-014-0360-2

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