Refined understanding of hydrological connectivity among lakes on the
Qiangtang Plateau
Abstract
Accurate catchment delineation and lake connectivity assessment are
crucial for understanding hydrology and managing water resources. By
employing the Forest And Buildings removed Copernicus DEM (FABDEM) and a
2015 lake dataset, this study updated the delineations of 798 lake
catchments on the Qiangtang Plateau. From these lake catchments, 442
whole catchments were identified based on inter-lake connectivity, with
140 encompassing multiple lakes. Based on the cascading structures of
lakes identified through graph theory, we categorized these multi-lake
whole catchments into three types: 86 single-linkage, 31 dendritic, and
23 hub-and-spoke, providing a refined understanding of the hierarchical
organization within the lake networks. Projected reductions to 387 whole
catchments by 2030 and 366 by 2050 due to global warming underscore the
dynamic impacts of climate change on lake connectivity. This research
provides crucial insights for managing water resources in endorheic
basins under changing climatic conditions.