Sustainable Sediment Management in the Yellow River: Addressing Water Storage Loss and Long-Term Delta Impacts
Xuekun Pang, MLWS 2025
This report focuses on the ongoing issue of reservoir sedimentation in the Yellow River Basin, especially within the Xiaolangdi Reservoir. The heavy buildup of sediment in this area results from both natural erosion processes on the Loess Plateau and human activities. This accumulation has reduced the reservoir’s ability to store water, lowered the efficiency of hydropower generation, interfered with irrigation and household water supply, and affected the physical shape and ecological health of the Yellow River Delta. By reviewing a wide range of scientific literature and analyzing current sediment management practices, including upstream source control, pre-reservoir interception, and in-reservoir measures, this report assesses the capabilities and limitations of these methods. It becomes clear that many existing approaches require large amounts of water and energy, are difficult to operate, and do not effectively manage the long-term buildup of fine sediment. To address these challenges, the report introduces a new strategy that operates within the reservoir itself. It involves a low-energy air sparging system guided by artificial intelligence (AI) for dynamic control. The system is designed to mimic natural water movement to keep fine sediments from settling, which helps transport them through the turbines and prevents accumulation. This solution takes advantage of unused hydropower and relies on real-time data to adjust operations intelligently.
