DEVELOPMENT OF LONGITUDINAL PROFILE OF THE LOWER YELLOW RIVER

An exhaustive study on the short period evolution of the Yellow River mouth and the long term siltation distribution along the river course as well as the variation of longitudinal profile has not revealed that the parallel aggradation of the Yellow River bed and the siltation along the river course are caused by the estuarine deposit. Theoretically, all the changes of river profiles undergo a process of deplanation. By conceptualized flume test analysis the formation and the evolution of equilibrium profile without silting up are discussed, and it is verified that a great mount of silt deposit will severely appear in a long period till the silt stable profile is formed. The reasons for the continuous siltation between the high sediment concentration of the river resulting in the wide and shallow riverbed and the sorting of deposition on the river and the low height of the levee system resulting in a gentle riverbed slope. Hence the river is incapable of carrying away the large amount of sediment load.