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Assessment of sediment transport in Luxiapuqu watershed using RUSLE-TLSD and InSAR techniques: Yarlung Tsangpo River, China

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Abstract

The Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin is characterized by its intricate topography and a significant presence of erosive materials. These often coincide with heavy localized precipitation, resulting in pronounced hydraulic erosion and geological hazards in mountainous regions. To tackle this challenge, we integrated the RUSLE-TLSD (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation-Transportation-limited sediment delivery) model with InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) data, aiming to explore the sediment transport process and pinpoint hazard-prone sites within mountainous small watershed. The RUSLE-TLSD model aids in evaluating multi-year sediment transport dynamics in mountainous zones. And, the InSAR data precisely delineates changes in sediment scouring and siltation at sites vulnerable to hazards. Our research estimates that the potential average soil erosion within the watershed stands at 52.33 t/(hm2 a), with a net soil erosion of 0.69 t/(hm2 a), the sediment transport pathways manifest within the watershed’s gullies and channels. Around 4.32% of the watershed area undergoes sedimentation, predominantly at the base of slopes and within channels. Notably, areas (d) and (e) emerge as the most susceptible to disasters within the watershed. Further analysis of the InSAR data highlighted four regions in the typical area (e) from 2017 that are either sedimentation- or erosion-prone, referred to as “hotspots.” Among them, R1 exhibits a strong interplay between water and sediment, rendering it highly sensitive to environmental factors. In contrast, R4, characterized by a sharp bend in siltation, remains relatively impervious to external elements. The NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) stands out as the pivotal determinant influencing sediment transport within the watershed, exerting a pronounced impact on the outlet section, especially in spring. By employing this approach, we gained a deeper understanding of sediment transport mechanisms and potential hazards in small watershed in uninformative mountainous areas. This study furnishes a robust scientific framework beneficial for erosion mitigation and disaster surveillance in mountainous watersheds.

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Data is available by making a reasonable request to the authors.

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Funding

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52239006, 51639007).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    Hao-Shuang Chen, Ling Lan, Yi-Pin Nie, Yu-Ge Wang & Xie-Kang Wang

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  1. Hao-Shuang Chen
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  2. Ling Lan
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the conception and design of the study. Material preparation, data collection, and the first draft of the manuscript were written by Hao-Shuang Chen. Ling Lan and Yu-Ge Wang provided the NDWI data. Yi-Pin Nie provided revision comments and images; Yu-Ge Wang and Xie-Kang Wang revised the paper.

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Correspondence to Xie-Kang Wang.

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Highlights

• Estimated sediment transport process in the Yarlung Tsangpo River small mountain watershed without measured data using the RUSLE-TLSD model.

• Sediment transport processes in hazard-prone areas of the basin were determined using the InSAR method.

• The erosion/siltation hotspots of river were determined using InSAR.

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Chen, HS., Lan, L., Nie, YP. et al. Assessment of sediment transport in Luxiapuqu watershed using RUSLE-TLSD and InSAR techniques: Yarlung Tsangpo River, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 8082–8098 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-31636-9

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