LAND USE CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT ON WATER RESOURCES IN EAST RIVER BASIN,SOUTH CHINA

Abstract

On the basis of hydrological data in the East River basin, South China during the past five decades, the impact of land use changes and vegetation cover changes on the hydrological system of the basin is analyzed in this study. It was found that the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the basin is not significantly correlated with natural runoff, annual evapotranspiration or runoff coefficient. Changes in the conditions of the underlying surface of the river basin arising from land use/land cover changes are the primary factor affecting runoff in the East River basin and are the main impact factor for the increase of runoff in the river basin. Changes in the hydrological system of the East River basin are subject to the impact of complex factors, typically the joint impact of climatic changes and human activities.