Modeling study on enhancing overall sediment transport efficiency in a reservoir‐river coupled system of the middle and lower Yellow River

Xia, Junqiang, Zhang, Xianziyi, Zhou, Meirong, Cheng, Yifei, Zhou, Zuhao, Wang, Zenghui, Wan, Zhanwei and Falconer, Roger A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5960-2864 2026. Modeling study on enhancing overall sediment transport efficiency in a reservoir‐river coupled system of the middle and lower Yellow River. Water Resources Research 62 (5) , e2025WR041342. 10.1029/2025wr041342

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Abstract

Plain Language Summary: Managing sediment in rivers with large reservoirs is a global challenge. Generally, there is a conflict: flushing sediment out of a reservoir simply pushes the problem downstream, causing severe deposition there. How can we balance the conflicting objectives of deposition reduction in both the reservoir and the downstream river? To answer this, we developed an integrated modeling framework that links reservoir operations with morphodynamic calculations. We applied this to the 1,000‐km Tongguan‐Lijin reach in the Middle and Lower Yellow River, a typical reservoir‐river coupled system. Our simulations revealed a clear distinction between operation strategies for different deposition reduction targets. If the primary goal is to maximize sediment evacuation from the reservoir, a sharp and short‐duration flushing mode works best. Conversely, if the goal is to scour the downstream channel, a lower‐discharge and long‐lasting release process is more effective. By using the proposed framework, decision‐makers can dynamically adapt reservoir operation strategies to enhance overall sediment transport efficiency during flood events.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Engineering
Additional Information:	License information from Publisher: LICENSE 1: URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	0043-1397
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	18 May 2026
Date of Acceptance:	1 May 2026
Last Modified:	18 May 2026 09:46
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/187034

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