Hydraulic geometry change of a large river: a case study of the upper Yellow River

Study on hydraulic geometry can reveal the response of river systems to basin attributes, and the trends in channel change. Based on 35 years of data collected at 10 hydrological stations (cross-sections), the hydraulic geometry relations between cross-sectional variables and discharge were established, and the derived parameters were analyzed. The channel behavior of the mountainous bedrock reach (from riverhead to Xunhua cross-section) and the alluvial reach (from Xunhua to Toudaoguai cross-sections) differed significantly over the past decades in response to dramatic water and sediment changes. The hydraulic geometry quasi-equilibrium was achieved through equally adjusting water depth and flow velocity in the mountainous bedrock reach; while primarily through flow velocity in the alluvial reach. The change rate of river width with varying discharge was relatively small in the whole upper Yellow River. Compared with the lower Yellow River and other rivers in the world, both similarity and differences existed, indicating the general adjustment direction of hydraulic quasi-equilibrium and also the importance of considering other influencing factors in hydraulic geometry studies. In addition, dams played an important role in affecting the changes of hydraulic geometry exponents.