1.State Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Control,College of Soil and Water Conservationg Science and Engineering (Institute of Soil and Water Conservation),Northwest A&F University,Yangling,Shaanxi 712100,China
2.College of Natural Resources and Environment,Northwest A & F University,Yangling,Shaanxi 712100,China
Objective Investigating the accurate estimation of the rainfall erosivity of rainstorms with different return periods and their spatiotemporal patterns is essential for preventing soil erosion and mitigating flood disasters under frequent occurrences of extreme rainfall events. Methods Based on individual rainfall events and sediment load data from 39 rainfall stations in the Yanhe River basin during 1965—1990 and 2006—2020, the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution model was applied to fit the distribution of rainfall return periods of individual rainfall events in the Yanhe River basin and analyze their peak rainfall characteristics with different return periods. A new method for calculating rainfall erosivity of rainstorm events with different return periods was proposed, which multiplied the peak rainfall intensity (Ipeak) by the total rainfall (P). The spatiotemporal patterns of rainstorm events and rainfall erosivity with different return periods in the Yanhe River basin were then analyzed. Results 1) The peak characteristics and spatiotemporal patterns of rainstorms with different return periods in the Yanhe River basin during 1965—1990 and 2006—2020 were analyzed. It was found that the average rainfall amount of individual rainstorm events with different return periods in the Yanhe River basin ranged from 122.3 to 216.2 mm. In addition, the ratio of peak rainfall duration (Tpeak) to total rainstorm duration (T) remained around 5% across different return periods. From 1965 to 1990, the annual rainstorm amount with different return periods showed an initial increase followed by a decrease, while fluctuations were more pronounced during 2006—2020. 2) A rainfall erosivity calculation method (PIpeak) was proposed, multiplying peak rainfall intensity (Ipeak) by total rainfall (P) of rainstorms with different return periods. Compared with existing rainfall erosivity algorithms, the rainfall erosivity (PIpeak) of rainstorms with different return periods showed the best correlation (R2=0.58) with river sediment load at five stations in the Yanhe River basin. 3) Based on PIpeak formula, the average rainfall erosivity of rainstorms with 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, and 100 years return periods in the Yanhe River basin during 1965—1990 and 2006—2020 was estimated at 3 570.6, 4 460.6, 5 405.9, 7 657.6, and 9 409.4 mm2/h, respectively. Spatially, the rainfall erosivity of rainstorms with different return periods showed a decreasing trend from the southeast to the northwest, with two similar high-value centers, and these high-value centers did not shift with increasing return periods. ConclusionIpeak more accurately reflects the peak rainfall characteristics of individual rainstorm events across different return periods compared to I30 or I60. Furthermore, PIpeak can precisely estimate the rainfall erosivity of individual rainstorm events with different return periods. These findings provide a scientific basis for preventing and controlling soil erosion and flood disaster risks in river basins driven by extreme rainstorms.
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