PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2021, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (7): 1220-1234.doi: 10.18306/dlkxjz.2021.07.012

• Reviews • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress of paleoflood events in the Yellow River Basin since the Last Deglaciation

WANG Haoyu1,2(), JIA Yana1,2, ZHANG Yuzhu1,2,*(), WANG Ninglian1,2, LUO Pingping3, QIU Haijun1,2, Ayidina SAILEBIEKE1, XIAO Qili1,2, CHEN Dou1,2   

  1. 1. College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China
    2. Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Earth Surface System and Environmental Carrying Capacity, Xi'an 710127, China
    3. School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710054, China
  • Received:2020-09-21 Revised:2021-01-15 Online:2021-07-28 Published:2021-09-28
  • Contact: ZHANG Yuzhu E-mail:whynwu@163.com;xbdzyz05@nwu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(41801060);National Natural Science Foundation of China(41971116);Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA20060201)

Abstract:

In the past 20 years, many paleohydrological investigations have been carried out in the Yellow River Basin. Based on the previous studies, this article systematically reviewed the progress of research on paleoflood events in the Yellow River Basin since the Last Deglaciation. Firstly, we reviewed the major findings on the identification of paleoflood events, the establishment of chronological framework of paleoflood events, and the climatic background of paleoflood events. Secondly, the reconstruction of peak water level and peak discharge of paleofloods and the social impact of paleoflood events were summarized. Thirdly, the main problems and recommendations in relation to accurate dating of paleoflood deposits, the causes of paleoflood events, and hydrological reconstruction of paleoflood events were proposed. Finally, we examined the prospect of future research in this field: 1) Strengthen the ability of modern flood monitoring, improve the understanding of flood-generating mechanisms, and then effectively evaluate the influence of hydrological model parameters on the result of paleoflood hydrological reconstruction. The ideal places (bedrock gorges) for paleoflood hydrological reconstruction, based on the paleoflood data, strengthen the research in the occurrence frequency and recurrence period of small probability extreme flood events, and enhance the ability of prediction and evaluation of major flood disaster events in the Yellow River Basin. 2) The whole Yellow River Basin needs to be considered for paleoflood study. We should strengthen the comprehensive analysis of paleoflood events in different time scales and reaches, especially the paleoflood events in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yellow River. In addition, the paleoflood events in the Yellow River Basin should be studied synthetically from multiple perspectives, and paleoflood database needs to be established as soon as possible. This review may provide some historical basis for flood prediction, prevention, and risk assessment as well as ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin under the background of global change.

Key words: Last Deglaciation, paleoflood, flood disaster, Yellow River Basin