Numerical Study on Seasonal Transportation of the Suspended Sediments in the Modern Yellow River Mouth Effected by the Artificial Water and Sediment Regulation

Since 2002, an artificial water and sediment regulation (AWSR) has been carried out, which largely reduced water and sediment discharged from the Yellow River into the Bohai Sea. Although the sediment transport in the Yellow River Mouth (YRM) has been observed and modeled intensively since AWSR, but preferentially for the non-storm conditions. In this study, a three-dimensional current-wave-sediment coupled model, DHI-MIKE numerical model, was used to examine the seasonal suspended-sediment transport in the YRM after the AWSR. Results show that the seasonal distribution of suspended-sediments in the YRM is dominated by wind and wave rather than river input. The major transport pathway of suspended-sediments is from the western Laizhou Bay to the Bohai Strait during the winter monsoon, especially in storm events. In addition, about 66% of the river sediments deposit within 30 km of the YRM, which is smaller than previous estimations. It suggests that the YRM has been eroded in recent decades.