Title: Variability in stream flows of the Xiang River in a changing climate

Authors: Guoqing Wang; Cuishan Liu; Sicheng Wan; Zhenxin Bao; Yanli Liu

Addresses: State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, 210029, China ' State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, 210029, China ' State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China ' State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, 210029, China ' State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing, 210029, China

Abstract: Stream flow plays a crucial role in the environment, society and the economy. Variability and trends of recorded discharges of the Xiang River and the responses to climate changes were investigated. Results indicate rising trends in the annual and four seasonal temperatures over the Xiang River catchment and sub-catchments for 1960-2010, as well as variations in precipitation. Annual discharges recorded at three hydrometric stations - Laobutou on the Xiang's upper reaches, Hengshan on its mid-section, and Xiangtan on its lower part, exhibit insignificant increasing trends for 1960-2010, with linear upward rates of 7.0, 45.7, and 47.5 m³s⁻¹/10a respectively. Annual and seasonal discharges are highly correlated to catchment precipitation and weakly correlated to temperature. A 1% change in precipitation will roughly lead to 2.08%-2.27%, 2.02%-3.37% and 1.9%-2.05% changes in discharges at the Laobutou, Hengshan, and Xiangtan stations respectively. It is essential to consider potential impacts of climate change in water resources management.

Keywords: variation; climate change; Xiang River; Mann-Kendall test; driver identification; hydrological response; stream flow.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2017.084019

International Journal of Global Warming, 2017 Vol.12 No.1, pp.129 - 144

Received: 14 Jan 2015
Accepted: 02 Sep 2015
Published online: 03 May 2017 *

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