From natural driving to artificial intervention: Changes of the Yellow River estuary and delta development

The estuarine delta of the Yellow River is a region of strong land-ocean-human interactions that undergoes a unique evolutionary process. In this paper, we combined historical data and remote sensing images to better understand the evolution of the Yellow River delta. Changes in the Yellow River estuarine flow path from natural swing to artificial diversion were first studied to understand the rules and mechanism of the delta formation. The complex geomorphic structural system of the Yellow River delta is constituted by contemporary and modem deltas and their sub-deltas. Remote sensing images and measured data indicate that variations in runoff and sediment load in the Yellow River estuary will affect the deltaic erosion and siltation. The natural and artificial factors that cause runoff and sediment changes include climate change, soil erosion control in the middle reaches, building reservoirs along the Yellow River, which are used as water supply for local cities and farmland irrigation, as well as the water and sediment regulation experiment in the Xiaolangdi reservoir. Furthermore, artificial intervention of diversion channels has contributed to the maintained stability of the Yellow River estuary environment, so as to have regional development and prosperity of the Yellow River delta.