Hu et al. (2026) Characterizing spatiotemporal drought dynamics in the Yangtze River Basin: from event lifecycle to shifting climate drivers

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Hydrology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-08
• Authors: Ruiyang Hu, Z H Shi, Shanshui Yuan
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135991

Research Groups

• State Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
• College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
• Yangtze Institute for Conservation and Development, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

Short Summary

This study analyzes the spatiotemporal characteristics of meteorological drought events in the Yangtze River Basin using a three-dimensional clustering algorithm and examines the influence of climatic factors on the occurrence and development of droughts.

Objective

• Investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of droughts in the Yangtze River Basin and their relative impacts of changing water supply (precipitation) and demand (evapotranspiration).

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: The study focuses on the Yangtze River Basin, a critical agricultural and economic zone in China.
• Temporal Scale: The analysis covers the period from 2000 to 2025.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Three-dimensional clustering algorithm
• Data sources: Satellite data, observation data, reanalysis data

Main Results

• A clear trend towards longer duration, larger area, and higher severity droughts since the 21st century.
• The central basin is increasingly concentrated with drought events.
• While precipitation trends still dominate drought changes in 56% of the YRB under the PET formulation adopted, rising evaporative demand has increasingly influenced over the remaining 44%, indicating a shift in regional hydroclimate drivers.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the spatiotemporal evolution of droughts and their potential hazards.
• The three-dimensional clustering algorithm is applied for the first time to analyze drought events in the Yangtze River Basin.

Funding

• Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52179013).
• Funded by the Yangtze River Water Resources Development Strategy Research Project (Grant No. YR2021001).

Citation

@article{Hu2026Characterizing,
  author = {Hu, Ruiyang and Shi, Z H and Yuan, Shanshui},
  title = {Characterizing spatiotemporal drought dynamics in the Yangtze River Basin: from event lifecycle to shifting climate drivers},
  journal = {Journal of Hydrology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135991},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135991}
}