Response of Runoff Change to Soil and Water Conservation Measures in the Jing River Catchment of China

Abstract

Soil and water conservation measures (SWCMs) are vital in reducing runoff and ultimately affect water security and regional development. However, previous studies have mainly focused on the impact of a single SWCM, neglecting to distinguish between the effects of different SWCMs on runoff reduction. A Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was established in the Jing River catchment to identify the responses to runoff changes resulting from climate change and human activities. The model was used to quantitatively analyse the impact of different SWCMs on runoff reduction. The results indicated that human activities contributed significantly more to runoff reduction than climate change. The reduction benefits of different unit area changes for each SWCM on discharge, surface runoff and water yield at the outlet were ranked as follows: changing cultivated land to forest land > changing cultivated land to grassland > building terraces on a 5–15° slope > building terraces on a 5–25° slope > building terraces on a 15–25° slope. Regional authorities should comprehensively consider the effects of various SWCMs on water reduction, and optimise the layout of vegetation and terracing measures, to support the efficient utilization of water resources in the Jing River catchment.