Qinghai Lake Water Level Decline - Research Paper Example

Qinghai Lake Water Level Decline Abstract This project paper focuses on the causes of continual decline of Qinghai Lake's water level from last two decades. Qinghai Lake is one of the most beautiful and scenic attractions of Qinghai province as well as one of its most important environmental resources. But the lake’s area has been continually shrunk; its water level has been receding; and its environmental ecosystem has been consequently degraded and changed. Thus, my paper intends to analyze the decrease of Qinghai Lake’s water level in last two decades. This research paper tries to find out the cause of the decline of Qinghai Lake's water level which is either the climate elements or human activities. Keywords: Qinghai Lake; water level decline; climate elements analysis. 1. Background: the water level of Qinghai Lake in the latest 20 years Qinghai Lake, located in the northeastern of Tibet-Qinghai plateau, is managed by Qinghai Province of China. It is between latitude N3632-3715 and longitude E9936-10047. It covers 4234 km2 (2007) with water area of 29,660 km2 on the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the circumference of the lake comprises approximately 360 km. It is the seventh largest saline lake in world by area, and the largest saline lake in China. Qinghai Lake comprises of large quantities of biodiversity wealth, such as wetlands, alpine meadows, grasslands, farmlands and dunes. Fish, birds, mammals and other rare wild animals and plants together constitute Qinghai Lake's unique ecosystem. Qinghai Lake is not only important at the state level but it also important at the national level. According to China National Natural Resources Protection Center (CNNRPC), Qinghai Lake has been identified as a national protection reserve area and its total area of nearly 4,200 km2 has been designed to be a state level nature reserve as Wetlands of International Importance (LiShijie&LiWanchun, 1998). Therefore, Qinghai Lake is the most important water body to sustain the unique high elevation ecosystem in Qinghai Lake Basin. The economic importance of the Qinghai Lake has been evident because of the tourist attraction towards the place. The Qinghai Lake is recognized for the impressive landscape and prosperous aquatic resources that has been able to attract many tourists. The immense richness value of the Qinghai Lake has made it a tourist spot. Therefore, today, Qinghai Lake tourism is one of the pillar industries of Qinghai province. The government has taken advantage of Qinghai Lake's natural resources to develop local tourism that contributes to Qinghai province’s economic development. As a result, Qinghai Lake has experienced tremandous depletation of its ecological environment. According to Ecology Research Institute of Qinghai Forestry Department (ERIQFD), water areas of Lake Qinghai in the past twenty years have been identified using satellite data. The results show that Qinghai Lake’s water level has declined; its area has decreased; its dominant fish species have decreased for over-fishing; wetlands have shrunken; its surrounding alpine meadow have degraded and part of them have processed serious desertification. Wildlife has been disturbed by human activities frequently, resulting in occupying their habitats by human’s commercial uses. Therefore, Qinghai Lake’s water levels changing are a fundamental and noticeable environmental problem in Qinghai Lake. According to ERIQFP’s historical data of water level of Qinghai Lake, forming the fluctuate curve displays the unstable changes of Qinghai Lake’s water level from the year 1988 to 2007 (Figure1.1). Figure1.1.The curve of Qinghai Lake’s water level in the past 20 years (ERIQFD) Figure1.1. illustrates, from the year 1988 to 1990 the Lake’s water level had increased, at an average annual rate of 0.3m per year. After the year 1990, its water level had declined till the year 1998, at an average annual rate of 0.13m each year. During the year 1999 to 2001, the water level had increased at an average annual rate of 0.33m each year. From the year 2002 to 2004, the water level had started declining again, at an average annual rate of 0.06m each year. Then from the year 2005 to 2007, the water level climbed up again, the average rate of 0.22m each year. While Qinghai Lake’s water level had experienced up and down many times in the past 20 years, comparing the lake‘s water level in the year 1990, the rest of the years basically experienced depleting trends. According to the analysis of the lake’s changes in the past twenty years, I found out that the water level of the lake had been changing regularly except the years in between 1990 to 1998, when it had a steady downward decline. Here’s the puzzle: on the one hand, Qinghai Lake’s water level had been increased or decreased in every two years in this period of time; but on the other hand, during the year 1990 to 1998, the trend of lake’s water level went downward. How can this be? The answer will come out after analyzing whether Qinghai Lake’s water level is affected by its major water resources or not which are the fundamental factors. Secondly, it would help to find out whether the climate change has impacted on the lake’s water level. Thirdly, it would also substantiate if the human activities played a major role, for polluting Qinghai Lake’s water environment. 2. The effect of supply runoff on Qinghai Lake’s water level Qinghai Lake is an inland lake surrounded by mountains. There are 48 rivers and streams around Qinghai Lake. The mature streams located in the northwestern of Qinghai Lake, which have extensive runoff into the lake; the sparseness of streams located in southeastern of Qinghai Lake, mostly are seasonal streams with less runoff into the lake (Liu Ruixia&Liu Yujie, 2008). The majority of more than forty rivers draining into Qinghai Lake are irregular rivers. And these rivers and streams mostly depend upon the rainfall supply, among which there are five rivers that have been found to be measured as fixed position of supply of water that is presented in the Table 2.1. They are Buha River, Shaliu River, Hargai River, Wuhalan River and Hema River. All of which are ranked by each of their volume of runoff into the lake. There are still certain uncontrolled small drainage areas comprising about 4,600km per square and receives 25% of the total runoff (Boqiang, 1992). River Drainage Area (km2) Discharge (m3/ square) Annual Runoff (103/m3) % Of total runoff Buha 14337 25.43 8.18 50.1 Shaliu 1442 7.32 2.31 14.5 Hargai 1456 3.88 1.22 13.3 Wuhalan 732 0.56 0.177 1.11 Hema 107 0.335 0.106 0.66 Table 2.1. (Boqiang, 1992). Table 2.1 shows that Buha River is the biggest river in Qinghai Lake basin, which accounts for 50% of the total runoff into the lake; Shaliu River is ranked in second, which accounts for 14.5 % of the total runoff into the lake; Hargai River is ranked in third, which accounts for 13.3 % of the total runoff into the lake. The other two rivers, Wuhalan River and Hema River account for less than 2% of the total runoff into Qinghai Lake. The total runoffs of the five rivers account for 83% of the total runoffs in Qinghai Lake basin (Wu Fang &Liu Li, 2007). Thus, the high rate of Buha River demonstrates the significance of the river’s runoff to balance Qinghai Lake’s water level. Viewing the five major sources of the Qinghai Lake, the Buha River is the major source as well as the drainage area as compared to other rivers. Therefore, studying the effect of runoff of Buha River is a fundamental measurement to approach the causes of declining water level of the Qinghai Lake. According to the analyzed project of runoff variation of Buha River Basin of Qinghai Lake, Buha’s runoff had been decreased from the 1980s to the 1990s (HuoShiqing, Li Shijie& Du Yuan, 2007). The years of 1990s, remind me that the water level of Qinghai Lake had been decreased downward from the year 1990 to 1998, which means the effect of Buha runoff impacted on the water level of Qinghai Lake, the water level had decreased by 1.3m. Climate variation is the main cause of the runoff variation of the Buha River. This was predicted according to the variation trend of climate condition (HuoShiqing, Li Shijie& Du Yuan, 2007). Precipitation is a major supplier of water for surface water reservoir. Therefore, the runoff of Buha River is affected by precipitation. Figure 2.2 below shows Buha River’s precipitation by month, presenting in the period from June to September, is the precipitation season (Wu Fang &Liu Li. 2007). Figure2.2. the precipetation rate of per month on surface of Buha River Figure2.3. The water level of Qinghai Lake by month Figure 2.3 show the water level of Qinghai Lake by month, presenting in the period from June to October, is the high water level period. Figure 2.2 and Figure 2.3 shows that the runoff is affected by precipitation; the water level is affected by the runoff. Thus, through analyzing the effect of runoff change can be calculated on the water level for the recent twenty years. The result indicates that there is a close relation between average precipitation and the water level of Qinghai Lake. 3. The effect of climate elements on the water level of Qinghai Lake The effect of climatic change on the hydrological elements is significant and sensitive. There are different sensitivities for effects of the various climatic elements on the hydrological elements. Precipitation is the most important factor that affects the change of the surface runoff. The temperature affects not only evaporation but also the surface runoff. The relation between precipitation and evaporation is not significant. Qinghai Lake greatly depends on precipitation, temperature and evaporation. Qinghai Lake basin precipitation reduction, coupled with drainage basin runoff reduction for the lake has led to the decline in water level. When the temperature changes, precipitation increases by 1 mm, and the water level of Qinghai Lake rises by 4.1 mm. On the other hand, when the precipitation remains unchanged, 1 degree temperature increase causes the water level to drop 95 mm and if precipitation remains unchanged, land surface evaporation increases by 20 mm, and the water level dropped 6.3 % (Liu Jinqi &Cheng Huiyan. 2007). As mentioned, the steady decrease of the Qinghai Lake’s water level was from the year 1990 to 1998. Thus, I found the completed project of area changes of Lake Qinghai in the latest 20 years based on remote sensing study, analyzed the water level of Qinghai Lake in this period associated with precipitation, temperature and evaporation. 3.1 Precipitation Analyzing the yearly precipitation of every four seasons from the year 1988 to 2000, the result showed that the average precipitation rate of 72.1% per spring; 67.1% per summer; 58.8% per fall; 77.92% per winter; the average precipitation rate of 71.04% per year. Therefore, the four-season average precipitation rate shows that the precipitation in spring had been seriously decreased to -0.64 (R=-0.64); the other seasons had relatively decreased. Figure 3.1 shows that average precipitation had been decreased to -0.38 (R=0.38354) annually (Liu Ruixia& Liu Yujie. 2008). Figure3.1. Curve of yearly precipitation in Qinghai Lake basin (Liu Ruixia& Liu Yujie. 2008) From the year 1990 to 1998, the trend of precipitation in Qinghai Lake basin had gone downward, which restricted the supply runoff too. Therefore, the decreased precipitation is the most significant and sensitive factor for Qinghai Lake. 3.2 Temperature The analysis of the average temperature of four seasons and the annual average temperature are primary methods to approach whether the temperature effects on the water level of Qinghai Lake. The result shows that the average temperature rates have 79.4% per spring; 85.42% per summer; 93.67% per fall; 86.57% per winter; the average temperature rate have 85.58% per year. Therefore, the four-season average temperature rate shows that the whole seasons had been considerably increased to 0.55 (R=0.54814) as shown in figure3.2, the other seasons had relatively decreased (Liu Ruixia& Liu Yujie. 2008). figure3.2. Curve of yearly temperate in Qinghai Lake basin (Liu Ruixia& Liu Yujie. 2008) Through analyzing the effect of temperature on the water level of Qinghai Lake, the result shows that increasing temperature result in increase of evaporation of Qinghai Lake basin. Therefore, the temperature increase also results in declining the water level of the lake. 3.3 Evaporation The change of evaporation is affected by the changes of temperature in Qinghai Lake basin. To analyze the average evaporation of four seasons, the annual average evaporation is the other method to approach whether the effect of evaporation is felt on the water level of Qinghai Lake. The result shows that the average evaporation rate have 79.51% per spring; 81.82% per summer; 74.21% per fall; 80.99% per winter; the average temperature rate is 77.1% per year (Liu Ruixia& Liu Yujie. 2008). From the year 1988 to 2000, the four-season average evaporation rate shows that spring evaporation had increased to 0.817; the other seasons had slightly increased. As shown in figure 3.3, the average evaporation rate is 0.647 (R=0.647) annually. Therefore, the evaporation is also the effect factor on the water level of Qinghai Lake. figure3.3. Curve of yearly evaporation in Qinghai Lake basin (Liu Ruixia& Liu Yujie. 2008) These climate elements figures’ curve answered my puzzle why the water level of Qinghai Lake had been steadily declining from the year 1990 to 1998 in the past 20 years. The result is the effects of precipitation, temperature and evaporation on the water level of Qinghai Lake directly. Especially the year 1998 has recorded the lowest water level in Qinghai Lake’s history. I think the answer of the historical low water level in this year is precipitation reduction in Qinghai Lake basin, combining with lessening its basin runoff supply for the Lake has guided the water level to decline. Meanwhile, in figure 3.2, the temperature had increased dramatically in 1998, resulting in increasing immense evaporation of the surface water of the lake, which also leads to decline the water level of Qinghai Lake. In addition, due to Qinghai Lake’s high elevation location, intensive sun exposure accelerated the evaporation of the surface water of the lake that contains high salinity. Personally, I had experienced this remarkable hot year when I was in high school. The average temperature rate of 25oC per summer had been increased to reach to the average temperature rate of 32oC per summer. 4. The effect of human activities on the water level of Qinghai Lake The impact of human activities along with the economic and social development in the Qinghai Lake basin has been a growing concern of local environmentalists. The level of human impact through their activities along with the economic and social development in the Qinghai Lake basin have forced the environmentalist to rethink and respond to the environmental issues. There is an inherent conflict between environmental protection and the human population’s use of Qinghai Lake’s natural resources. The increasing trend of tourism, agriculture and land reclamation for people’s economical and commercial intention in Qinghai Lake basin resulted in the lake’s ecosystem in fragile and indirect impacts upon the water level of Lake Qinghai. Wetlands have been continuously shrinking, grasslands have been degrading due to the commercial uses of concrete construction building and commuter road, and the wildlife have been losing their habitats, thus, some animal species already became extinct. The effect of human activities on the water level of Qinghai Lake is indirect. But the human activities impact on the environment of the lake is direct and significant. The level of damage that has been done around the Qinghai Lake, had affected the biological chain in greater extent. There has been an immense increase in the population that increased from 20,000 in the 1960’s to 90,000 currently in the Qinghai Lake region (Cong Pingfa. 2004), which induced livestock’s over grazing, land reclamation and natural causes. Lake surface area has decreased 11.7 percent in the period between 1988 and 2000, as a result of shifting sand dunes and desertification (Cong Pingfa. 2004). And increasing number of tourists has increased wastes like snack packages, drinking bottles and many other materials that have forced the environment to change surrounding the lake. As the Figure 2.3 showed, the water level of Qinghai Lake by month, presenting the high water level period due to abundant precipitation in the period from June to October, referred as the golden time, and this period is for refilling through the natural hydrological cycle. However, the golden time also is the peak time for the increasing population of tourists, which induces human activities have considerably disturbing the lake’s hydrological cycle. Tourism is one of the pillar industries of Qinghai, and Qinghai Lake is the province's main tourist site. Beautiful scenery has attracted more and more tourists to the lake in recent years. According to Dong Lizhi, deputy manager-general of the Qinghai Lake Tourism Development Co., Ltd., more than 500,000 people visited the lake by July each year, and the figure is expected to hit one million by the end of the year. The human activities (regarding water consumption for residents) around Qinghai Lake basin includes irrigation, domestic and industrial use and livestock watering. Figure4. Total river discharge and water consumption of human activities in Qinghai Lake basin (Li, 2006). Figure 4 showed the disparity of annual total water consumption and river discharge between the years 1988-2000. In this period, the extensive land reclamation and cultivation alters the vegetation and grazing lands. Due to the extensive use of land repossession and farming forces the natural ecological placements of water to change. An increase in livestock from 900,000 in 1960, to more than 300x104 now, has resulted in a loss of the Qinghai Lake surface area because of over grazing by livestock, land reclamation and consequential desertification of the region. It is clear that the activities of human beings near the region of the Qinghai Lake have forced to alter the natural functioning of hydrological cycle reducing the water conservation capacity. 5. Comparison Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park. The Yellowstone National Park is well known for its unique concentration of wild life and fossil forest and the size of the Yellowstone Lake. The lake has 2,376 m high elevation and covers 352 km² with 177 km of shoreline (Retallic, 2005). I chose Yellowstone Lake in comparison to Qinghai Lake, because they both are located at high elevation and are the hot spots for tourists. By comparing the two lakes, I want to find out if Yellowstone River had experienced similar water level issue that Qinghai Lake had experienced; and to learn if Yellowstone Lake management has some sensible water management method that apply to Qinghai Lake’s water management to improve its ecosystem in future. First of all, I found out the water level of Yellowstone Lake has declined in past few years as same as Qinghai Lake. The water level of Yellowstone Lake differs every year in reaction to distinctions in the temperatures, spring precipitation and winter’s snowpack accumulation. The highest water level evidenced was 7.72 ft in 1997 on the Bridge Bay. The lowest annual maximum recorded in 1934 was 2.40 ft. The standard annual highest water surface altitude was 5.46 ft during the period 1971–2000 (Farnes, P. E., 2001). Therefore, the changes of temperature, precipitation and evaporation are three major climate elements that impact on Yellowstone Lake’s hydrological cycle. Various observations have been recorded by the US government and were found that the water level of Yellowstone Lake has been affected by water temperature in the Yellowstone River, and the alteration of the water level of the lake has greater effect upon the ecological balance in the region (Farnes, P. E., 2001). 1988 to 2005 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual Average Max. Temperature (F) 23 28 35 43 52.3 61 72 71 61 49 34 25 46.2 Average Min. Temperature (F) -1.7 -1 3.6 15 24.9 33 38 37 29 22 11 2.6 17.8 Average Total Precipitation (in.) 2 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.94 2.2 1.5 1.7 1.6 1.3 1.6 1.7 20.35 Average Total Snow fall (in.) 35 25 26 16 5.9 0.8 0 0.1 1.4 7.7 23 30 170.6 Average Snow Depth (in.) 30 37 41 33 9 0 0 0 0 1 7 18 15 Max. Temp.: 93.4% Min. Temp.: 92.9% Precipitation: 94.3% Snowfall: 94.1% Snow Depth: 93.1% Figure 5. Temperature Variation Level at Yellowstone Lake (Western Regional Climate Center, n.d). Secondly, the effect of runoff on Yellowstone Lake is the main aspect of changing the water level. There are certain restricted outlets in the Yellowstone Lake that causes the water to back up in the lake when there are high inflows. In addition, the effects of the stream runoff during spawning runs have shown positive effect to the wild life like bears feeding on spawning and migrating cutthroat trout (Farnes, P. E., 2001). Third, the human activities have a larger extent of effect upon water level. Yellowstone Lake region is well known for its tourist attraction. The uses of water for the irrigation purpose and other purposes have been the cause of decrease in the level of water. Yellowstone Lake has been significant for the wildlife surrounding the place. So the decreasing water level of the Yellowstone Lake had altered the ecological balance of the region (Susan, 2009). In contrast between the regions of the Qinghai Lake and the Yellowstone Lake, it is found that the levels of decrease in the water level of both the lakes are the problems of the climate element changes.The precipitation, temperature and evaporation have been the major source of decline in the water level of the Qinghai Lake whereas air temperatures, spring precipitation and winter snowpack accumulation are the major causes of the decline of the water level of Yellowstone Lake. The damaging level of human activities effect is worse in the Qinghai Lake as compared to Yellowstone Lake. Because of the effect of human activity is more in Qinghai Lake region and the effect has forced the ecological changes in this particular region. The increases in population in the Qinghai Province have made alteration in the ecological environment. The increasing number of tourist in the province of Qinghai is increasing the effect upon the region. The environment of the region is not being properly managed. As we know, the natural alteration cannot be prevented but the alterations like human activities can be decreased that will help the Qinghai Lake to maintain its water level and its ecological system. The Yellowstone Lake is well managed in terms of any damaging affects from the tourists. The natural changes like volcanic eruption that are not under the control can be considered as another reason. The melting of the snow and its effect in the Yellowstone Lake are also not under control. The rising temperatures in the region have effects upon the melting of the snow that turns out to affect the Yellowstone Lake. From the comparison of both the lakes, data has been found out that the water level of the Qinghai Lake is in more danger than the Yellowstone Lake. There is a constant decrease in the water level of Qinghai Lake that is beyond control. The Yellowstone Lake’s condition is better than Qinghai Lake but if it is not properly managed, Yellowstone Lake will face the similar problem after few years as Qinghai Lake is facing now. 6. Conclusion Qinghai Lake in China is blessed with the great biodiversity wealth and is the seventh largest saline lake in the world in terms of area and has huge reserve area. The lake is facing problem due to its continuous dropping of water level in the last 20 years. The lake is of great importance to the province of Qinghai as it is the major source of water supply and a tourist spot. There has been a significant decrease in the water level for past many years. Qinghai Lake is surrounded by mountain peaks and there are many sources of water depository for the lake. But these sources are irregular in supply of water. The Buha River is the biggest source of water in Qinghai Lake basin and accounts for more than 50% of the total runoff into the lake. This basin has shown a decrease in the water level from the 1980s to the 1990s. The chief reason behind this is the climatic changes that have forced the water level to decline. Precipitation which is the major source of water supply to the Buha River has also declined and there are lots of variations in the level and amount of precipitation. Temperature plays a vital role in affecting water level in the Qinghai Lake. The rising temperature forces the level of evaporation rate to increase causing a decline in water level. The human and tourist activities around the lake are affected by the ecological changes in the surrounding of the lake region and have played a significant part in the decline of the water level. The extensive land reclamation and cultivation activities of human beings have been the direct source for reduction in the water level. By comparing Qinghai Lake with Yellowstone Lake, it has been found that the major reason for the water level decline in both lakes was the climatic change. This climatic change has occurred due to irregular precipitation, temperature instability and human activities in Qinghai Lake. And melting of snow, precipitation and temperature are the major sources for decline in water level of Yellowstone Lake. The effect of human activities in Qinghai Lake is greater than Yellowstone Lake. The government policy and management towards the development of the ecological system might lower the effect upon the lakes and show positive results in future. This is a long term process and will require many years to reduce the adverse effects through proper governmental policies and investments. 7. Recommendation In view of Qinhai Lake’s environemental situation, the management of the Qinghai Lake should be strong enough to take actions against the issues that have been focused in the research study in order to control the activities of the tourists especially the activities that are executed in and around the lake. With better management, the water level of the lake can be maintained. There were certain illegal activities that led to endanger the dominant species in the lake. The government needs to check out these illegal activities as these actions threaten the ecological balance. Policies should be formulated to keep the region clean and healthy so that the ecological balance can be maintained. For the human activities like for the irrigation purpose, the government should provide other alternatives and restrict the use of the Qinghai Lake water. The government requires investing or funding for the project for protection of the ecological balance. Increased government intervention with budget for the development of the Qinghai province with the Qinghai Lake will maintain the ecological system.Essentially to strengthen leadership and increase public awareness of these challenges; to mobilize community participation; develop leaders in science and technology for comprehensive management; increase ecological supervision; improve forecasting techniques, and restore conditions that allow for a more natural replenishment cycle within the lake. Reference Boqiang, Q., (1992). The Hydrological Characteristics and Water Budget of Qinghai Lake Drainage Basin. The Qinghai Lake Drainage Basin. Cong Pingfa. (2004). Qinghai lake protection and development Cong Pingfa., (2004). Qinghai lake protection and development Chunzhen, L., (2008). Study on Climate Change and Water in China. Monsoon Asia Integrated Regional Study. Farnes, P. E., (2001). 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