Spatio-Temporal Extraction of Surface Waterbody and Its Response of Extreme Climate along the Upper Huaihe River

Abstract

The upper Huaihe River is the water-producing area of the Huaihe River Basin and the major grain and oil-producing area in China. The changing global climate over the recent years has increased the frequency of extreme weather in the upper reaches of the Huaihe River. Research on the responses of surface water bodies to extreme climates has become increasingly important. Based on all utilizable Landsat 4–8 T1–SR data and frequency mapping, the spatio-temporal extraction of surface water and its response to extreme climate were studied. We generated high-precision frequency maps of surface water, and a comparison of cartographic accuracy evaluation indices and spatial consistency was also carried out. The high-precision interpretation of small waterbodies constructs a surface water distribution with better continuity and integrity. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of El Niño/La Niña events on precipitation, temperature, and surface water along the upper Huaihe River, using the Mann–Kendall mutation tests. The results show: in 1987–2018, periods of abrupt changes in precipitation coincide with EI Niño/La Niña events, indicating that the precipitation was sensitive to EI Niño/La Niña events, which also strongly correlated with surface water area during wet and dry years. The effect of extreme events on seasonal water was smaller than permanent water. Surface water area showed an insignificant declining trend after 1999 and a significant drop in 2012. The phenomenon of topographic enhancement of precipitation controlled the spatial distribution of permanent water, with human activities having a substantial effect on the landscape pattern of seasonal water. Finally, discussions and applications related to the Markov Chain probability calculation theory in the paper contributed to enriching the theories on frequency mapping. The relevant results provide a theoretical basis and case support for the formulation of long-term water resources utilization and allocation policies.