Li et al. (2026) Four‐Decade Evolution of Runoff Components and Cryospheric Contributions in an Alpine Inland River Basin, Tibetan Plateau

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Hydrological Processes
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-01
• Authors: Guohui Li, Zongxing Li, Baoqing Zhang, Juan Gui
• DOI: 10.1002/hyp.70630

Research Groups

• Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University

Short Summary

This study investigates the evolution of runoff components in the Buha River Basin over 1982–2022 using a process-based hydrological model. The findings reveal a fluctuating upward trend in annual runoff with precipitation as the primary driver.

Objective

• Investigate the drivers and trends of runoff components in the Buha River Basin

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: The study focuses on the Buha River Basin, the largest tributary of Qinghai Lake on the Tibetan Plateau.
• Temporal Scale: The study period spans 1982–2022.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: THREW-T hydrological model
• Data sources: Satellite data, observation data

Main Results

• Annual runoff exhibits a fluctuating upward trend with a notable transition from decline to increase around 2009.
• Rainfall dominates total streamflow, followed by snowmelt, while glacial meltwater plays a negligible role.
• Baseflow and surface runoff contributions remain relatively stable throughout the study period.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into key hydrological processes in alpine inland river systems.
• The findings offer a scientific basis for sustainable water management under changing climate conditions.

Funding

• National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 91837204)
• Chinese Academy of Sciences Strategic Pioneer Science and Technology Research Fund (Grant No. XDB42000000)

Citation

@article{Li2026FourDecade,
  author = {Li, Guohui and Li, Zongxing and Zhang, Baoqing and Gui, Juan},
  title = {Four‐Decade Evolution of Runoff Components and Cryospheric Contributions in an Alpine Inland River Basin, Tibetan Plateau},
  journal = {Hydrological Processes},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1002/hyp.70630},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.70630}
}