Characteristics and attribution analysis of runoff and sediment evolution in the Wei River mainstream, China

Abstract This study evaluates the characteristics of river runoff and sediment changes in Wei River mainstream over past 50 years based on data meteorological from 1971 to 2020 at Huaxian hydrological station lower reaches River. The main research methods are Mann–Kendall method, wavelet analysis, cross-wavelet cumulative curve method. results show that there is no significant decreasing trend abrupt change volume recent years, transport obvious, occurs around 2006. dominant periodicity 12–13a, 5a. There only a resonance 3–5a 1980–1990, which roughly positive correlation. runoff–sediment series can be divided into four time periods, reasons for relationship different each period. precipitation factor has slightly greater impact weak transport, with contribution rates 21.2 7.6%. Human activities such as subsurface water conservancy construction have load, 78.8 92.4%.