Variation of Yellow River Runoff and Its Influence on Salinity in Laizhou Bay

Abstract

Salinity in estuaries has an important influence on sediment deposition, delta formation, and fishery economy. The change of runoff in Yellow River (YR), which is the largest river along the Bohai Sea, has an important effect on the salinity of the sea, particularly in Laizhou Bay. In this study, measured runoff data in Lijin hydrological station from 1950 to 2018 are adopted to examine the change of YR runoff into the sea. The study concludes that the runoff of YR is distributed unevenly throughout the year and the amount of runoff mainly concentrates during the flood season. Results show a decreasing trend at a significant level of α = 0.95, with a range of −6.17 × 10 ⁹ m ³ yr ⁻¹. Three groups of runoff are set by using the Finite-Volume Coastal Ocean Model numerical model to analyze the change of salinity in Laizhou Bay. These modeled effects were compared with water level observations made by Bayuquan, Tanggu, and Penglai gauge stations and salinity surveys conducted by Longkou gauge station. Model results and observations of salinity distributions and coastal water level showed good agreement. We can conclude that the distribution of salinity in Laizhou Bay is high in the east and low in the west. Furthermore, it responded quickly to the change of the runoff from YR. Under conditions of high river discharge, the low-salinity zone increased in horizontal direction and reached the bottom in vertical direction.

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): JOUC

Title: Journal of Ocean University of China

Publisher: Science Press and Springer (China )

ISSN (Electronic): 1672-5182

Publication date (Electronic): 15 November 2020

Publication date (Print): 01 December 2020

Volume: 19

Issue: 6

Pages: 1235-1244

Affiliations

¹School of Civil Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, China

²Institute of Ports and Coastal Disaster Mitigation, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, China

³Marine Environmental Monitoring Central Station, SOA, Yantai 264025, China

⁴Key Laboratory of Ocean Circulation and Waves, Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China

⁵Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266000, China

⁶Center for Mega Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Qingdao 266071, China

Author notes

*Corresponding author: SHI Hongyuan, Tel: [phone], E-mail: hyshi@ 123456ldu.edu.cn

Article

Publisher ID: s11802-020-4413-5

DOI: 10.1007/s11802-020-4413-5

Copyright statement: Copyright © Ocean University of China, Science Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany 2020.

License:

The copyright to this article, including any graphic elements therein (e.g. illustrations, charts, moving images), is hereby assigned for good and valuable consideration to the editorial office of Journal of Ocean University of China, Science Press and Springer effective if and when the article is accepted for publication and to the extent assignable if assignability is restricted for by applicable law or regulations (e.g. for U.S. government or crown employees).

Product

Self URI (journal-page): https://www.springer.com/journal/11802