Remote Sensing Monitoring System on Hydrology and Water Resources in the Yellow River Source Area

The source area of the Yellow River is located in the plateau area with high height above sea level,thin air, large difference of air temperature and little volume of the yearly mean precipitation which is concentrated in the period from May to October. The upper reach is the main source area of water resources on the Yellow River, the natural runoff in the upper stream has reduced abruptly since 1990s, correspondingly the natural runoff all over the Yellow River has reduced in a large scale compared with 1980s. In recent years, the desertification and degeneration of ecological and environmental systems has being attracted world - wide attention as well. Therefore, to conduct continuous remote sensing in time and space on the rainfall, evaporation, vegetation, water body and soil moisture, the establishment of a remote sensing monitoring system on hydrology, water resources and environment in the Yellow River source area, has become a urgent task to be implemented necessarily, aimed at solving the problems above mentioned.