Impact of Quantity and Quality of River Water by Irrigation in a Yellow River Basin

Discharged shortage, river desiccation and deterioration of water quality in the lower reach of the Yellow River during the latest 30 years have been receiving widespread concern. This paper analyzed the data obtained from some main monitoring stations during the last decades, discussed the impacts of irrigation and reservoir construction on the quantity and quality of the Yellow River water, and pointed out that these human activities contribute a lot to the discharge shortage or river desiccation and the increasing of the total ion content of the river water. We conclude that it is an urgent action to tailor a strategy for saving water and strengthen the water management in the Yellow River Basin.