Proactive dynamic flooding regulations for river basins in China’s arid and semi-arid region of Xinjiang

Study region: Xinjiang is a typical arid and semi-arid region in China, where concurrent regional water shortage and seasonal flooding pose tremendous challenges for regional water resources management. Seasonal flash floods due to heavy rainfall and snowmelt processes necessitate reservoir regulati...

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Main Authors: Xintong Gong, Qiang Zhang, Senlin Tang, Yungang Bai, Vijay P. Singh, Zhenlin Lu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825002824
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author Xintong Gong
Qiang Zhang
Senlin Tang
Yungang Bai
Vijay P. Singh
Zhenlin Lu
author_facet Xintong Gong
Qiang Zhang
Senlin Tang
Yungang Bai
Vijay P. Singh
Zhenlin Lu
author_sort Xintong Gong
collection DOAJ
description Study region: Xinjiang is a typical arid and semi-arid region in China, where concurrent regional water shortage and seasonal flooding pose tremendous challenges for regional water resources management. Seasonal flash floods due to heavy rainfall and snowmelt processes necessitate reservoir regulations in arid regions, whereas previous studies have focused mainly on humid regions. Study focus: Taking the TouTun Reservoir in Xinjiang as a case study, we formulated flooding regulation protocols with the aim to reduce flood disasters and optimize water resources use. Different from traditional static flooding regulations, here we proposed and validated a dynamic potential flood stage by subdividing the flood seasons into three intervals: pre-flood, main flood, and post-flood. We used an improved pre-release constraint algorithm, such as the long-short-series mean correction method, and evaluated the flood stage potential during the aforementioned three intervals. New hydrological insight for the region: We detected that at the design flood frequency of 0.1 %, the peak flood flow during the main flood season reached 835 m3/s. We set the dynamic stage flood potential between 986.45 m and 989.13 m during the main flood season and ensured an additional 4.93 × 106 m3 of available reservoir capacity to avoid flood disasters. By dynamic flood stage potential controlling algorithm, we reduced the peak flood stage level 35.84 % and lowered the peak floodwater level by 0.54 m, and significantly alleviating flood risks and improving water supply stability. The findings of this study can provide practical reference for floodwater control of other arid and semiarid regions over the globe.
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spelling doaj-art-51e88e64540c4f00907760b9ecc2508c2025-08-20T03:13:11ZengElsevierJournal of Hydrology: Regional Studies2214-58182025-06-015910245710.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102457Proactive dynamic flooding regulations for river basins in China’s arid and semi-arid region of XinjiangXintong Gong0Qiang Zhang1Senlin Tang2Yungang Bai3Vijay P. Singh4Zhenlin Lu5Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Wastewater Information Analysis and Early Warning, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, ChinaAdvanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Wastewater Information Analysis and Early Warning, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, China; Corresponding author at: Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, China.Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Wastewater Information Analysis and Early Warning, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, ChinaXinjiang Research Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaDepartment of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; National Water and Energy Center, UAE University, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesXinjiang Research Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang, ChinaStudy region: Xinjiang is a typical arid and semi-arid region in China, where concurrent regional water shortage and seasonal flooding pose tremendous challenges for regional water resources management. Seasonal flash floods due to heavy rainfall and snowmelt processes necessitate reservoir regulations in arid regions, whereas previous studies have focused mainly on humid regions. Study focus: Taking the TouTun Reservoir in Xinjiang as a case study, we formulated flooding regulation protocols with the aim to reduce flood disasters and optimize water resources use. Different from traditional static flooding regulations, here we proposed and validated a dynamic potential flood stage by subdividing the flood seasons into three intervals: pre-flood, main flood, and post-flood. We used an improved pre-release constraint algorithm, such as the long-short-series mean correction method, and evaluated the flood stage potential during the aforementioned three intervals. New hydrological insight for the region: We detected that at the design flood frequency of 0.1 %, the peak flood flow during the main flood season reached 835 m3/s. We set the dynamic stage flood potential between 986.45 m and 989.13 m during the main flood season and ensured an additional 4.93 × 106 m3 of available reservoir capacity to avoid flood disasters. By dynamic flood stage potential controlling algorithm, we reduced the peak flood stage level 35.84 % and lowered the peak floodwater level by 0.54 m, and significantly alleviating flood risks and improving water supply stability. The findings of this study can provide practical reference for floodwater control of other arid and semiarid regions over the globe.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825002824Arid and semi-arid regionsToutun reservoirDynamic stage flood potentialFlood reductionWater resource management
spellingShingle Xintong Gong
Qiang Zhang
Senlin Tang
Yungang Bai
Vijay P. Singh
Zhenlin Lu
Proactive dynamic flooding regulations for river basins in China’s arid and semi-arid region of Xinjiang
Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
Arid and semi-arid regions
Toutun reservoir
Dynamic stage flood potential
Flood reduction
Water resource management
title Proactive dynamic flooding regulations for river basins in China’s arid and semi-arid region of Xinjiang
title_full Proactive dynamic flooding regulations for river basins in China’s arid and semi-arid region of Xinjiang
title_fullStr Proactive dynamic flooding regulations for river basins in China’s arid and semi-arid region of Xinjiang
title_full_unstemmed Proactive dynamic flooding regulations for river basins in China’s arid and semi-arid region of Xinjiang
title_short Proactive dynamic flooding regulations for river basins in China’s arid and semi-arid region of Xinjiang
title_sort proactive dynamic flooding regulations for river basins in china s arid and semi arid region of xinjiang
topic Arid and semi-arid regions
Toutun reservoir
Dynamic stage flood potential
Flood reduction
Water resource management
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825002824
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