Evolution of the inner-Mongolia reach of the Yellow River and its response to the environment in the past 2000 years

Using the results from interpretation of remote sensing images and synthesis of the historical literatures and maps, this paper deals with the river evolution of the Yellow River in Houtao Plain, Inner-Mongolia. Development of the south alluvial fan was stopped in the west Houtao Plain at the 2nd century BC; In the sixth century, the channel of the Yellow River, located at the north alluvial fan of the west Houtao Plain, migrated eastward, and it was divided into two branches, the south and the north, the latter was the main one; In the 18th century, the main channel of the Yellow River located at the north Houtao Plain moved to the south Houtao Plain; The North River silted up in the mid-19th century, meanwhile, the modern Yellow River was formed; From that time on, have no obvious changes happened. The evolution of the Yellow River is the response to geological structure, climate and human environment.