Dynamic Monitoring of Surface Water Bodies and Their Influencing Factors in the Yellow River Basin

Surface water bodies exhibit dynamic characteristics, undergoing variations in size, shape, and flow patterns over time due to various natural and human factors. The monitoring of spatial-temporal changes in surface water bodies is of great significance for the rational utilization of water resources and the sustainable development. In this study, Landsat series images on the GEE platform, along with the HydroLAKES and China Reservoir dataset, were utilized to establish an extraction process for surface water bodies in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) from 1986 to 2021. The study aims to investigate the dynamics of surface water bodies and the driving factors within the YRB and its eight sub-basins. The findings reveal an overall expansion trend of surface water bodies in the YRB from 1986 to 2021. The total water area, natural lakes and artificial reservoirs in the YRB increased by 2983.8 km2 (40.4%), 281.1 km2 (11.5%) and 1017.6 km2 (101.7%), respectively. A total of 102 natural lakes expanded, while 23 shrank. Regarding artificial reservoirs, 204 expanded, 77 shrank. Analysis revealed a positive correlation between water area changes and precipitation. Rising temperatures melted permafrost, ice, and snow, positively correlating with water expansion in the upper reaches of the YRB, particularly natural lakes. Additionally, the Increased artificial reservoirs accounted for 34.1% of overall water area increase in the YRB from 1986 to 2021.